Harry Potter and the Picture of Temptation
by Tadariada
Summary: Don't be decieved by the tite, friends. This story is not much of a major romance, just a few kisses, thats all. It's basically about the Fifth year of our favorite heros. Harry has been kept from a secret his entire life. A very important secret, that co
1. A Strange Awakening

Harry Potter stared out of his window into the dark sky. He was waiting for his owl, Hedwig, to return with his birthday presents. He looked at the glowing, full moon that shone above him. A shadow passed in front of it. Harry strained his eyes to see what it was. As the shape grew nearer he recognized his snowy owl. A rather large barn owl and a very tiny owl that was hovering lower that the others, sagging under the weight of a large parcel accompanied it. Harry cleared away from his window and let the birds fly in. They landed on his bed with a soft thump. Harry untied the parcel on the barn owl and it took off out of the window immediately. Ron's tiny owl, Pigwidgeon, gave a little shrill hoot of joy and also flew out of the window, after a brief drink out of Hedwig's water bowl.   
  
Harry shut the window again and went over to his own owl and untied her parcel. She looked up with her beautiful eyes and nipped his ears affectionately. Harry stroked her head and carried her over to her cage. "It's good to have you back." He told her as he shut the cage door. He returned his attention to the presents. He sat down on the bed and ripped open the present he had received from Hermione. It was a book called Dragons of the Northern Hemisphere. A book was a typical present from Hermione; she was a bookworm. He looked at the picture on the front of the book. It had a photo of a Hungarian Horntail on it. Harry threw it into his trunk as if it had been on fire. In way he was disappointed in Hermione, she usually had a knack for buying the perfect presents. Just when he had been beginning to forget that awful tournament, that awful night, he was suddenly reminded of it. He did a mental shrug and concentrated on the remaining three presents. Ron's was also very disappointing, containing a single Chocolate Frog. Ron to, usually had very good presents. Sometimes a little on the strange side, but what could you expect, coming from the wizarding world? Hagrid's was a sweatshirt, handmade by Hagrid himself. It had scarlet and deep yellow stripes on it. Attached to the sweatshirt was a very thick envelope that Harry recognized at once as the Hogwarts School supplies list. He placed this on the bedside table and went on to the last present.   
  
Sirius' present was very thin. Harry ripped it open a found that it was a picture frame. Harry figured that he had run out of ideas or money and had sent a picture of himself. He was having a very depressing birthday. He flipped the frame around, but the picture that met his eyes was not of Sirius. It was of his parents. James and Lilly Potter beamed up at Harry through the glass frame. Harry's mother became suddenly distracted with a squirming bundle in her arms. Harry flipped on his desk light to examine the bundle more closely. There was a baby in the bundle, a baby boy with a mop of black fuzz on his head and bright green eyes. It was him. Harry looked at the baby boy in his mother's arms a little closer. He looked so much different. There were no thick glasses resting upon his nose, and no lightning bolt scar in the middle of his forehead. And in this picture of himself, he was happy. In all of the pictures Harry had ever been in, he had tried to persuade the photographer to take it of something else, or not take it at all. In his second year a boy named Colin Creevy had gone photo happy and had even taken a picture of Harry when he was lying in the mud, with his arm shattered. And just last year he had had more press attention than he would have wanted for a lifetime.   
  
The reason for all of this unwanted attention was due to the fact that Harry Potter was considered a hero in the wizarding world. When he had been the age of one, the terrible Lord Voldemort had shown up at his house and finished of his parents with the killing curse, Avada Kedavra. When Voldemort had tried to kill Harry, however the curse rebounded off of Harry and had hit Voldemort. (That is how Harry received his scar) But it didn't kill Voldemort either; he was not human enough to die. So instead he was ripped out from his body and had lived for thirteen years in a forest some two hundred miles away from Harry. Last year Voldemort had been returned to his body and Harry had seen it happen. He had taken bone from his father's grave, a hand, given to him by a 'faithful' servant, Wormtail, and a little trickle of Harry's own blood. Having had his body back he had tried to kill Harry again. Harry had escaped yet again and the night had left him nothing more than a very painful memory. Only two people knew the whole story of the night, and that was Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, and Sirius Black, his godfather.   
  
Never in Harry's wildest dreams did he ever think of telling the Dursleys about that terrible night. The Dursleys didn't like magic at all, and just one word about Hogwarts meant that Harry would most likely never leave his room again. With his parents dead, the Dursleys were Harry's only living relatives. Harry had been living with them for as long as he could remember. They had always been less than kind to Harry because they had never really wanted their nephew around. The Dursleys had a son Harry's age and that made his situation even worse. Dudley got the best of everything, even down to how much food he got at the dinner table. Even Harry's clothes were hand-me-down's from Dudley, who was the exact opposite in size. Dudley, who was roughly the size of a baby killer whale, had the largest clothing Harry had ever seen. Harry was short and skinny so none of his summer clothes fit in any way, size, shape, or form.   
  
Harry also set this present in his trunk. He threw away all of the wrapping paper and set the cards on his bedside table. He sat down on his bed preparing to fall asleep. He felt something under his back and sat back up again. Another package Harry hadnt seen was lying on his bed. Harry carefully ripped the wrapping paper, as if expecting it to explode. An acid green quill and a note tumbled out into his hands.   
  
  
Dear Harry,  
Happy Birthday! This is a Quick-Quotes Quill. Need I explain how it works? I figured you might need some cheering up after that last task. It ended most regretfully. And I thought if I was sad, it would be nothing to how you felt. I hope you are having a great summer! See you on the Hogwarts express! Happy Birthday, again!  
  
  
PLove, /P  
PCho Chang/P  
  
  
  
Harry folded up the letter and set it down with the rest of his cards and looked back to the quill. It was easily the best birthday present of the year. He wondered how Cho had known when his birthday was. Harry supposed it was in some book…. He yawned and lay back down on his bed. He glanced at the clock. It was twelve o'clock exactly. Harry Potter was officially fifteen. He pulled off his glasses and set them down on the bedside table. He collapsed onto his pillow and fell asleep.  
  
  
  
"He must die." Came a cold, high-pitched voice. Harry was in the middle of a room. Lord Voldemort, Severus Snape, and Wormtail were all sitting in armchairs by a glowing fire.  
  
"Who must die, my lord?" Wormtail said in his shaky voice.  
  
"Harry Potter, you fool!" Snape snapped. Voldemort nodded.  
  
"Severus, I am glad you've returned to us." He said with a cold laugh. "And if you hadnt I would have killed you. But I excuse your behavior because you work at Hogwarts, with the boy."   
  
"That is correct, my lord." Snape said.   
  
"And I know you hate the boy." Voldemort said.  
  
"That is correct my lord." Snape said, an evil grin appearing on his face.  
  
" Do you know what you must do then?" Voldemort said, his face too, splitting into an evil grin. Snape nodded.  
  
"Kill him?" He asked hopefully.   
  
"Not kill him!" Voldemort snapped. "It would be to obvious. And anyways, I want the pleasure of killing that boy. You must report to me his weaknesses and strengths. Then we will kill him."  
  
"But my lord, it would be much easier if-" Snape started.   
  
"SILENCE!" Voldemort bellowed. Wormtail let out a little whimper. "We will kill him my way Severus. Never question my judgement. Crucio!" he said and pointed his wand at Snape. Snape slumped to the floor and twitched in pain, not letting out a single sound. "Crucio!" Voldemort said a little louder. This time Snape screamed a horrible piercing scream.  
  
Harry sat bolt upright in his bed. He was breathing very fast and his scar was hurting. His hand searched the bedside table for his glasses. When he pulled them on, he could not see much better, his eyes were clouding up from the searing pain in his scar. He pressed two fingers up to it, but they sprang back away once they touched the scar. It was incredibly hot. He blew on his fingers to cool them off and got out of bed and looked in the mirror. His scar looked completely normal, except for the fact that it was a little redder than usual. The pain was not going away, and for the first time in his life, he actually felt sorry for Snape. He went back over to his bed and sat down on it, massaging his forehead, rocking back and forth. The pain began to clear and Harry sighed. Dumbledore was certainly right in saying that there were dark times ahead. And, Harry thought miserably, they are going to be even worse for me.   
  
Harry glanced out of the window and toppled out of the bed. Two faces were looking straight at him. "AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGHHH!" He yelled. All Harry could see was their eyes, and nothing else. He slowly got up and edged over to the trunk at the foot of his bed. He grabbed his wand and then edged over to the door. The two people on the other side of the glass were definitely wizards; they were wearing robes of all black and pointed hats. That was all Harry could tell. If they were Death Eaters it was over, he was a goner. To postpone the moment, Harry slipped out of his room and out into the hall. Breathing very fast Harry placed his hand up to his scar again. It was still steaming hot but it didn't hurt much anymore. Maybe the two people weren't Death Eaters after all. Harry hoped that this was the case, but he wasn't willing to take any chances, so he concentrated very hard on the stunning spell. There was a loud thump from inside his room. Hedwig hooted loudly. Harry grabbed his wand much tighter and slowly turned the door handle. He went into his room again. The two people were now standing in his room. They couldn't be Death Eaters they were to short, but all the same, they had broken into his room. He heard a loud bump in the next room. Somebody had heard his shout and was running down the hall. Harry took a deep breath and raised his wand.  
  
"Don't kill us!" One of them cried, but it was too late.  
  
"Stupefy!" Harry said forcefully. They both hit the floor. The red jet of light he had directed at them ricocheted of the window and came bouncing back towards Harry, who quickly stepped away. There was a strangled cry behind him and a tremendous crash. Harry very reluctantly spun around to see what it was. Uncle Vernon lay on the floor and Dudley and Aunt Petunia were both kneeling by him, trying to shake him awake again.   
  
"You!" Aunt Petunia screeched. "What did you do to him?"   
  
"Stunned him," Harry said, fearfully. The two people behind him cracked up. It was Ron and Hermione. Aunt Petunia was clutching something behind her back. It was a metal can of some sort. She whipped it out and threw it as hard as she could at Harry. It stopped within centimeters of his face.  
  
"Aunt Petunia, calm down, I can fix it." Harry said a lot more calmly than he felt. The bottle of Hairspray hovered in front of Harry. Hermione gasped from behind him. "Eneverate!" Harry said and pointed his wand at the unconscious Uncle Vernon. He stood up at once and charged at Harry. The hairspray glided out of his way. Uncle Vernon wrapped his hands around Harry's neck and shook him.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING, BOY?" He bellowed in Harry's face, which was getting purple. "THOUGHT YOU WOULD KILL ME, EH? TO BAD I JUST MIGHT KILL YOU FIRST!" He laughed a mirthless laugh. Oh, this is great, I'm going to die on my birthday, Harry thought. Hermione screamed. Dudley laughed and cheered his father on.   
  
"Oh no you wont!" Harry choked. Uncle Vernon laughed again.  
  
"How? You can't curse me, your wand fell on the ground." He said. Harry realized he was right. But Uncle Vernon hadnt seen the floating bottle of hairspray that Harry was controlling. Harry directed it over to his uncle.  
  
"VERNON, WATCH OUT!" Aunt Petunia screamed. He turned his head just in time, the bottle smashed into his forehead and he lost his grip on Harry. Harry fell on to the ground gasping for air and rubbing his neck. Hermione and Ron ran beside im and helped him get to his feet again.  
  
"Surprise," Ron said flatly. "Happy Birthday." The Dursleys had disappeared from the room and Harry guessed they were going to call the police.  
  
"We have to get out of here." Harry said.  
  
"Why'd you think we're here?" Ron said. Harry shrugged and started packing all of his things up in his trunk. Hermione and Ron helped him by clearing out his desk. Harry dived under his bed and yanked up the loose floorboard, and put all of its contents in the trunk. He snapped shut the trunk and re-opened the window.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked cautiously.  
  
"Fly my stuff out the window." Harry replied quickly. Hermione gaped at him.  
  
"Wouldn't the stairs be easier?" She said. Harry shook his head.  
  
"And risk being killed again? Uh, uh." Harry said. He grabbed Hedwig's cage and flew out the window on his Firebolt. He set her down and flew back in through his window. Ron and Hermione helped him hoist the trunk through the window and Harry flew it down to the ground. When he flew back through the window Hermione and Ron were talking in very low voices, and when he entered they shut up.   
  
"How did you guys get up here anyways?" he asked. Ron pointed at Hermione.   
  
"We climbed up the drainpipe." She said meekly.   
  
"How are you going to get down?" Ron pointed at the broomstick, and Hermione nodded. Harry shrugged. "Well get on then." He said. It was quite a squeeze, with all three of them on the Firebolt. Hermione was practically sitting on Ron's lap and Ron himself was almost sitting on the tail of the broom. "Hold on tight!" Harry said as they soared through the window. Hermione had such a grip on Harry's shoulders that it was painful. "Not that tight, Hermione!" He winced. Her grip loosened as they touched the ground. Both Ron and Hermione fell of the broom once they landed. Usually Harry would have cracked up, but for some reason he didn't find it very funny.  
  
"Hey Hermione? How do you get the Knight Bus again?" Ron asked her.  
  
"Stick your wand hand out." She replied. All three of them stuck out their right hands. There was a tremendous POP and a purple triple-decker bus appeared on Privet Drive.   
  
"Come on Harry," Hermione said and gently pushed him towards the bus. The doors snapped open on the bus and Stan Shunpike stepped out of the bus.  
  
"Welcome to the Knight Bus! Emergency transport for the stranded witch of wiz- Neville? Is that you?" He said peering at Harry.  
  
"Neville?" Ron and Hermione said at the same time.  
  
"This is Harry Potter." Hermione said.   
  
"I'll explain later," Harry mumbled out of the side of his mouth. Harry paid the money for the ride and Stan hauled Harry's things up the stairs.  
  
"Where to tonight, Mr. Potter?" He asked Harry.  
  
"That's a good question. Oy! Ron! Where are we going?" Harry asked Ron, who was settling himself down into a bed across the isle from him.   
  
"My house." He said quietly, to not disturb the sleeping wizards and witches on the bus.  
  
"Okay then. Stan we're going to Ottery St. Catchpole." Harry told Stan.  
  
"Where in Ottery St. Catchpole?" He asked.  
  
"The Burrow." Harry replied. Stan nodded and disappeared down the stairs again. Harry looked around the bus at the sleeping people. Ron and Hermione were both sitting up in their beds, as was Harry. There was nobody else awake.  
  
"Good night." Harry said, yawning.   
  
"Harry! Happy birthday!" Hermione said.  
  
"Yeah, Happy fifteen!" Ron said just as Harry's eyelids drooped shut. Everything was very silent for about fifteen minutes. Harry had no intention whatsoever of falling asleep. He wanted to hear what Ron and Hermione were talking about. Harry knew this was not right, but what was it that they couldn't tell him?  
  
"Is he asleep?" Came Hermione's voice.   
  
"Yeah." Ron said.   
  
"Good." She whispered to Ron.  
  
"What up with him, anyways?" Ron said.  
  
"I don't know, but I worried about him. You saw the look on his face while he was sleeping." Hermione said.  
  
"I don't even want to think about what he was seeing." Ron said.  
  
"I'm with you there." She said. "Has he told you what happened after the third task yet?" Hermione said, a little quieter.  
  
"No." Ron said. "I really wonder what happened that could be that bad."  
  
"I don't think I want to. Harry is the bravest person I know, save Dumbledore," Ron grunted in agreement. "And that night I caught Rita, he was crying in his sleep. That scares me, Ron, it really does." Hermione said, in a shaking voice. "He was supposed to be having dreamless sleep, too"  
  
"Well we sort of know what happened, don't we?" Ron said, also in a shaking voice. "You-know-who got his body back. Remember, he said that when he was yelling at Fudge. And Dumbledore told us he murdered Cedric."   
  
"I could have sworn that cut wasn't on his arm when he touched the Portkey." Hermione said in an undertone. Harry could feel their eyes on him.  
  
"And what about the Dursleys?" Ron said hastily, changing the subject.  
  
"What about them?" Hermione said.  
  
"Both his Uncle and his Aunt tried to kill him tonight! And that cousin of his was laughing!" Ron said a little louder than expected. Harry grunted in hate accidentally.   
  
"Did you wake him up?" Hermione said.  
  
"I don't think so. But I don't like those Dursleys. In the summer before our second year Fred, George and I went to rescue him from the Dursleys and you wouldn't believe what we found." Ron said.  
  
"What? What happened?" Hermione said fearfully.  
  
"They had put bars on his window, and they were starving him!" Ron said. Hermione gasped.  
  
"That's child abuse!" She cried.  
  
"Sssh! Hermione! You'll wake him up!" Ron hissed. But Harry didn't want to hear any more 'poor Harry' stories. He stretched and yawned.  
  
"Are we there yet?" He asked, pretending to be sleepy still. "What d'you mean, that's child abuse?" He said and yawned again.  
  
"We were talking about the Dursleys." Hermione said. Ron shot her daggers with his eyes.  
  
"What about them?" Harry said.  
  
"Just about how horrible they are to you." Hermione said.   
  
"Which story did you tell, Ron?" Harry asked.  
  
"Second year." He said meekly and blushed the color of his hair. Harry nodded.  
  
" Yeah, but it wasn't all that bad, it was only three days or something." Harry said, to prove he was over that. Hermione smiled a very forced smile.  
  
"It's still child abuse!" She said.  
  
"I don't care anymore. They've done loads of bad things to me, and I'm still alive, aren't I?" Harry said indignantly. Both Ron and Hermione shook their heads in dis belief.  
  
"What could be worse than that?" Hermione said. Harry sighed.  
  
"I used to live in a broom closet that was infested with spiders." Ron shuddered. "All of the clothes I wear over the summer are hand-me-downs from Dudley."  
  
"A closet?" Hermione repeated breathlessly.   
  
"I didn't have any friends at all before you two, because in Muggle School anybody who was nice to me was beaten up by Dudley."  
  
"That's terrible!" Hermione said. Harry shrugged. "But that's it isn't it?" She added. Harry shook his head.  
  
"I have never and will never get as much to eat as Dudley. And you wonder why I'm so skinny…" Harry said coldly. "I get blamed for everything, even down to why the mail didn't come. 'He had something to do with this!'" He said mimicking his uncle's voice. Both Ron and Hermione looked shocked. "They attempted to run away from the Hogwarts letters." Harry said recalling on that glorious day. "It was actually really funny. Hagrid tried to turn Dudley into a pig, but it didn't work, because he was already too much of one. He had a pigs tail for awhile…" Ron and Hermione snorted with laughter. " The only reason I am in okay health and everything is because they are petrified of Sirius. They have done more things but I'd rather not think about it." Hermione flashed an I-told-you-so look at Ron. Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"That's really horrible, Harry. You don't deserve that." Hermione said.  
  
" I know, good night you two." Harry said. Harry said and actually fell asleep this time. It seemed as if Harry had just fallen asleep when Stan was shaking Harry awake.   
  
"Common Neville, you're at the Burrow now." He whispered.  
  
"All right! I'm up, I'm up!" Harry said and sat up. Yawning and stretching, Harry stood up and made his way out of the bus. Stan came out behind him shortly with his things. Harry thanked him and with a snap the bus disappeared. Harry saw Ron and Hermione heading towards the house and followed them in. They had just entered the house when Harry heard Mrs. Weasley's voice.  
  
"Ron, Hermione? Is that you?" She called.   
  
"Yeah, mom!" Ron called.   
  
"Did you get him? Harry? Are you there?" She said.   
  
"Yeah!" Harry called. They heard footsteps coming their way.  
  
"Harry!" She cried when she saw him. She ran up the front hall and gave Harry a very tight hug. "Oh I just heard what happened at the third- that night!" She said. "Oh my, dear!" She started to sob and hugged him tighter.   
  
"Um-Mrs. Weasley?" Harry choked out.  
  
"Yes, dear?" She said between sobs.  
  
"I cant breathe!" He said. Mrs. Weasley broke the hug.  
  
"Oh, yes of course." She said, embarrassed.  
  
"Second time tonight," Hermione said under her breath, but Mrs. Weasley heard her.  
  
"What was that, dear?" She said, looking from Harry to Hermione.  
  
"You explain." Hermione told Ron. He nodded.  
  
"Well we sort of- um- startled Harry when he saw us and he yelled pretty loud. Well the entire Dursley family showed up behind him when they heard the shout. Harry didn't realize it was us and tried to stun us. Well we ducked and so did Harry when it came back at him. And his spell hit his Uncle." Harry could tell Ron was choking back laughter. " Well his aunt thought Harry had killed him or something and threw a bottle of hairspray at him." Mrs. Weasley gasped. " Don't worry mum, Harry stopped it right before it hit him."  
  
" With the levitating charm, of course," Mrs. Weasley said, and beamed at Harry.  
  
"No mum, he was controlling it with his eyes." Mrs. Weasley looked a little startled. "So he kind of put it to the side of him and woke his uncle up."  
  
"That was good of you." She said, looking at Harry.   
  
"He also thought Harry was trying to kill him and he strangled Harry and told him that he would be killing Harry first." Mrs. Weasley gasped again. "And Harry knocked his uncle out with the bottle of hairspray." Ron finished. Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath.  
  
"Now usually I refrain from speaking foully towards your family, Harry, because they have been good to you." Harry, Ron, and Hermione snorted. "But that is un-expectable. Trying to kill an innocent boy! Really!" She said.  
  
"I don't really think he was actually going to kill me." Harry said shyly. All three of them stared at Harry. "Uncle Vernon has given me death threats and things like that lads of times. He never would do any of it though."   
  
"Harry dear, you've a long night. Why don't you go to bed?" Mrs. Weasley said kindly. Harry shrugged and started to pull his things up the stairs to Ron's room. Ron and Hermione started to follow, but Mrs. Weasley held them back. " I need to have a few words with you two." He heard her say. Harry hesitated on the stairs for a moment, wondering if he wanted to hear what she was going to say or not. He decided finally that he would rather be in a bed, asleep right now more than anything. He pulled his things up the stairs and headed into Ron's room. Harry lay in bed for a long time, reviewing the night in his mind. He made a mental note saying that this was the strangest birthday he had ever had.  
  
A long time later Harry heard Ron and Hermione conversing on the stairs. They were talking in hushed, scared voices. Harry knew at once that Mrs. Weasley must have told them what had happened at the third task.  
  
"No wonder he doesn't smile very much anymore. I wouldn't be very happy either." Hermione was saying.   
  
"You were right Hermione, he didn't get that huge cut on his arm from Hogwarts or the Dursleys." Ron said, his voice had a bit of awe in it. Harry heard two small thumps and he guessed that they were sitting on the stairs. "No wonder he freaked out when he saw us tonight."  
  
"They tortured him?" Hermione squeaked, holding back tears, "Twice?"   
  
"Hermione, don't cry. He's still alive." Ron said in an awkward tone of voice. Ron never did know what to say when there was a crying girl in the picture, Harry thought with a slight grin. " Good night, Hermione."   
  
"Good night, Ron." Hermione said. The door handle turned slowly and quietly. Harry shut his eyes and pretended to be asleep. Ron passed his bed and sat down on his own. It squeaked under all of the pressure.  
  
"Harry, it's no use to pretend to be asleep." He said. Harry opened his eyes.  
  
"How'd you know?" He asked.  
  
"It's not that hard to tell. Your eyelashes kind of flutter when you pretend to be asleep." He said very matter-of-factly. Harry shrugged.  
  
"How do you know I wasn't trying to fall asleep, then?" Harry said.  
  
"I don't know. I just had the feeling that you've been awake all night."  
  
"Correct." Harry said, yawning. "But I do think I'm going to sleep now. G' night, Ron." Harry situated himself in a more comfortable position and closed his eyes and fell asleep after a most interesting day.  
  
  
Three weeks went by like a flash, when Harry was at The Burrow, and before they knew it, there was only one day left of summer break. One night at the dinner table Harry suddenly remembered something.  
  
"Hermione, did you go to Bulgaria this summer to visit Krum?" Harry asked. Hermione blushed a brilliant shade of magenta.  
  
"Yeah…second week of break." She said.  
  
"What did you do?" Harry asked. Hermione blushed again.  
  
"Oh…not much." She answered quickly.  
  
"Did you have fun?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah! I learned a lot of things about Bulgaria I didn't know. It was quite interesting." Ron burst out laughing and Harry couldn't help but join him. "What? What's so funny?" Hermione asked, looking around the room to see if something happened.  
  
"Hermione, you need to take a break. It's summer!" Ron said.   
  
"Yeah." Harry said. Hermione smiled a very sarcastic smile.  
  
"You two could use taking a leaf out of Hermione's book! I'll bet she'll pass her O.W.L.s with flying colors. Have you two even opened a book all summer?" Mrs. Weasley said sternly.   
  
" I did my homework!" Harry said indignantly. Mrs. Weasley's gaze softened a bit.  
  
"Of course you did, dear." She said.   
  
"So did I!" Ron and Ginny said at the same time.   
  
"Yes, yes. But I expect good marks from all of you." She glared at them all as if saying, Or else!  
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny al cleared their places at the table and headed up the stairs into Ginny's room. Harry had never been in this room before and looked around with interest. Ginny had it painted a soft blue color and it was clean, a rare occurrence in The Burrow. They all sat down on the floor in a little circle and started to talk.  
  
"I can't wait for school to start again!" Ginny said. Hermione nodded.  
  
" Yeah, but the O.W.L tests are this year!" Ron said. Ginny's face cracked into an evil grin.  
  
"Not for me!" She said. Ron punched her in the shoulder. Harry held his breath, hoping that Ginny wouldn't cry. She didn't. She socked Ron just as hard back in the stomach. Hermione burst out laughing. Ron scowled.  
  
"It didn't even hurt!" He said unconvincingly.   
  
"Do you need me to punch you harder, VerRONica?" Ginny teased.   
  
"Not if I get to you first!" Ron said. Harry sat down next to Hermione on the bed and watched Ron and Ginny have a fist fight. It was really quite interesting how Ginny and Ron just kept going. Ron landed one on Ginny's stomach and Ginny poked Ron in the eye. "Owww! That one really hurt!" Ron said cupping a hand over his eye his eye.   
  
"Oh! I'm sorry Ron! Are you okay?" Ginny said laying a hand on his shoulder. Ron smiled an evil smile and punched her in the stomach with force. She recoiled and fell backwards on to the floor with a groan. "You win, you win!" She said, clutching her ribs. Harry laughed and the rest of them joined in. Hermione pulled out the daily paper.   
  
"I totally forgot to read the paper this morning!" She said and stuck her nose in it. Harry, Ron, and Ginny shrugged and started talking about Quidditch.   
  
"I wonder who's going to be our captain this year." Harry said. Ron shrugged.  
  
"Maybe it'll be you, Harry." Ginny said and blushed. Harry shook his head.  
  
" I don't think I could think up all of those game plans." He said.  
  
"Well in any case, you're a great flyer. I'm sure we'll win the cup next year." Ron said enthusiastically.   
  
"I hope so!" Ginny said.  
  
"Harry maybe you could 'accidentally' kill Malfoy this year! You know do that Wronsky Feint thing and hope that he lands on his head!" Ron said.  
  
"Good strategy! I'll see what I can do…" Harry said, grinning. Ron and Ginny returned it.   
  
"That's horrible, you two! Plotting a murder!" Hermione said from behind the paper.  
  
"We aren't plotting a murder! We were just imagining it!" Ron cried.   
  
"Now really!" Hermione said, sounding a lot like Professor McGonagall. "Not that he wouldn't deserve it…" She said half grinning, half scowling.   
  
"Anyways we have to worry about way more dangerous murderers this year," Ron said. Harry's smile disappeared.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry snapped.   
  
"You just have to watch your back more carefully this year." Hermione said.  
  
"You two are more concerned about Voldemort than I am. I'm not going to be murdered." Harry said. Nobody looked at him. " I know I wont. There are two people who are making sure of that. Maybe even three." He said. If this was supposed to re-assure hem, it was far from it.  
  
"And who might these people?" Hermione said skeptically.   
  
"Dumbledore for one." Harry said. Ginny nodded. " Then there's Wormtail. He owes me his life. He can't touch me. And then there is-" Harry chewed his tongue for a moment, thinking. "Snape."  
  
"Snape? Harry, are you serious?" Ron said. Harry nodded.  
  
"He's either going to save my life, or kill me. I haven't decided if I trust him yet." He said thoughtfully. Hermione looked uncomfortable.  
  
"Well I'm tired. I think I'm going to go to bed know," She said yawning. Ginny nodded. Harry and Ron stood up ready to leave. Hermione gave Harry a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Ginny did the same and then they both moved on to do the same to Ron, but he shied away from them. Ginny managed a kiss on the cheek to Ron and Hermione to. They closed the door behind then and heard giggling.   
  
"Girls," He muttered as they walked down the hall.  
  
"I know what you're saying." Harry said in agreement. They went to bed without another word.  



	2. Nagini's Message

  
"Harry! Time to get up! We have to go to school today!" Ron said shaking Harry awake. Harry opened one eye.  
  
"What time is it?" He asked groggily. Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"That doesn't matter! Just get up!" He said and shook Harry harder.  
  
"Okay, okay! I'm up! I'm up!" Harry cried and wriggled out of Ron's grip. Just let me get dressed and I'll be ready to go…" He yawned.   
  
"Yeah right…" Ron said sarcastically and left the room so Harry could change. Harry sat up and looked out the window. A clear summer's day met his tired eyes. He blocked the light from his eyes and got dressed. Stretching and yawning he left the room and headed down the stairs. Hermione joined him.  
  
"G'morning Hermione," he said and yawned again.  
  
"My aren't we chipper this morning!" She said cheerfully.  
  
"Mmm Hmmm." Harry said and sighed. Hermione laughed.   
  
"I can't wait for school to start!" she said.  
  
"You read to much." Came Ron's voice from behind them.  
  
"So I've heard." Hermione said and shook her head in annoyance. Ron shrugged and went on the other side of Harry.  
  
"Why are you so tired?" Ron asked. As if on cue, Harry yawned.  
  
" I don't know," He said.  
  
"You can sleep on the train." Hermione said.  
  
"Not likely. It's too noisy. I'll sleep on the way to Kings Cross." Harry said.  
  
"I can't wait for school to start again!" Hermione said again. Ron flashed an evil smile at Harry and looked over to Hermione.  
  
"You read to much." Ron and Hermione said together.   
  
"You tell me that to much." Hermione said. Harry laughed. " Ah. He does know how to laugh. For a moment I thought you'd forgotten how."   
  
"Hey! I resent that!" Harry retorted. Hermione shook her head again.  
  
"Whatever. I'm hungry. I wonder what's for breakfast…" Ron said. Harry shrugged and Hermione didn't answer.   
  
"Hurry up you three! We'll be late for the Taxi if you keep dawdling like that!" Mr. Weasley called from the front porch. They ran down the rest of the stairs.  
  
"What, no breakfast?" Ron said when they got outside.  
  
"No! Where are your things you two?" Mr. Weasley said looking at Harry and Ron.  
  
"Upstairs," Harry said.   
  
"No. Don't go and get them, it takes to long. Accio trunks! Accio Hedwig! Accio cage!" He cried and waved his wand. There was a considerable amount of hooting and banging and then all of the things Mr. Weasley summoned burst out of the door. "Very effective." He murmured.  
  
Harry fell asleep in the Taxi, despite the squeeze. Their driver was very interested in where they were going and it took awhile to convince him that they were going to a boarding school. It seemed he had memorized the train schedule and claimed no train was leaving. Hermione was still debating with the man when Harry's eyelids drooped and he fell to sleep. He was a little startled when he was awoken about three hours later. Harry looked around the cab to see what had caused it but saw nothing out of place.  
  
"What time is it?" Harry asked. The cab driver looked back at him.  
  
" Nine o'clock mate." He said.  
  
"How long until we get to London?" Harry asked. It suddenly occurred to him that he sounded like a toddler, pestering his parents, as Dudley had done in his earlier periods of life. Come to think of it, he still did.  
  
"About an hour." He said and looked back to the road.  
  
"Thanks," Harry said. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione and burst out laughing for the second time that morning. Hermione had fallen asleep also, and her head was resting on Ron's shoulder. Ron was sitting stiff as a board, looking strait ahead.   
  
"She just fell asleep." He said, feeling Harry's eyes on him. "And put her head down. I don't want to wake her up…" He said trying to explain.   
  
"The perfect couple," Harry teased. He pretended to take a picture. Ron swatted his hands down and Hermione stirred in her sleep. Her eyes flickered open.  
  
"Are we there yet?" She said and yawned.  
  
"Nope. Still got an hour." Harry said to her. "Comfy?" He added before he could stop himself.  
  
"What? Oh-" She jerked her head off of Ron's shoulder, blushing madly. "Sorry." She murmured. Ron blushed to. An odd sort of glazed expression crossed his face.  
  
"It's okay." He said and turned his head to look out of the window. Ginny, who was in the front seat started to snore. Ron's strange expression immediately turned into an evil grin. He sort of stood up and reached a   
hand over the front seat.   
  
"Ron! Don't do it!" Hermione said harshly but was smiling all the same. Ron plugged Ginny's nose. She grunted and opened her eyes.  
  
"You!" She snarled. For a moment it looked like she was going to punch him.  
  
"Now kids, no rough housing in this cab!" The driver said. Everybody fell silent. It was the first year that Ron's parents hadnt accompanied them to the Hogwarts Express.   
  
When they got there Harry paid the man and gave him a tremendous tip. They thanked him again and entered the station. It was very crowded, as usual and they worked there way through the crowd until they reached the barrier between platform nine and ten.   
  
"Harry and Ron, you two go first." Ginny said. Harry nodded and they walked over to the barrier and pretended to lean against it. They fell though it and looked around them. The scarlet steam engine gleamed down at them. Hermione and Ginny came up behind them.  
  
"We are really early!" Hermione said checking her watch. It was only ten o'clock; the train wouldn't leave for another hour.  
  
"We can get good seats! Let's go up into the front so we can get all the refreshments first!" Ginny said. " Oh hi, Gwen!" She suddenly cried, waving to a girl Harry suspected she was friends with. A tall brunette girl ran up to them, beaming.   
  
"Ginny!" She said. They hugged. "I haven't talked to you for the longest time. Hermione!" The girl said seeing Hermione. She gave her a hug to. "Who are your friends?" She asked looking at Harry and Ron.  
  
"I'm sure you've met them?" Hermione said. Gwen shook her head. "Oh this is Ron Weasley and Harry Potter."   
  
"Harry Potter? I have always wanted to meet you!" She cried shaking his hand vigorously. "I bet you get this a lot don't you? Screaming fans?" She said. Harry didn't know what to say.  
  
"Uh- yeah." He said finally.  
  
"You're on the Quidditch team-" She said.  
  
"Yes." Harry said.  
  
" I was thinking I might go out for it this year. Are there any openings?" She asked sweetly.  
  
"Four. We need two beaters, a keeper and a chaser." Harry said, beginning to like this girl a little more.   
  
"Are you the captain then?" She asked. Harry shook his head.  
  
" We don't have a captain anymore." He said.  
  
"Oh well, I'll bet it'll be you. You did such an awesome job with that Horntail." She said kindly.   
  
"Thanks." Harry said bitterly.  
  
"Common, Ginny! I saved us seat in the back car!" She said and yanked Ginny away. "It was nice meeting you guys!" She called behind her. Hermione waved and then they went up to the train to find a good seat. They found a compartment near the front of the train and sat down in it heavily.  
  
"I am so tired." Harry said and yawned.  
  
"Well go to sleep then!" Hermione said.  
  
"I don't want to. I might miss part of the conversation." Harry said.  
  
"Whatever." Hermione said. " I wonder who'll be our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher this year."   
  
" Maybe Lupin'll come back." Ron said hopefully.   
  
"Not likely Ron. With our luck, it'll be Snape." Hermione said.  
  
"God, I hope not. That would just be awful." Harry said.  
  
"Wouldn't be worse than he already is in Potions." Ron said.  
  
"It would be really ironic, that's for sure." Harry said.  
  
"Why's that?" Hermione asked curiously.   
  
"Learning Defense against the Dark Arts from a Death Eater," Harry said.  
  
"He was a Death Eater, Harry. His name was cleared. But I do see your point." Hermione said thoughtfully.  
  
" Malfoy's name was cleared to, but he still works for Voldemort. It doesn't matter if their names were cleared or not." Harry said. Nobody said anything for a long time.   
  
"Oh look, there's Neville!" Hermione said suddenly. She stuck her head out of the window and waved.   
Neville waved back, beaming at her. Over a half an hour more and more people they knew arrived at the station and stopped in to say hi. Harry noticed that most people had become considerably warmer to him after the last few days of their last year.   
  
"Hey, I wonder whatever happened to Malfoy and his two gorilla sidekicks?" Harry said.  
  
"Maybe they died." Ron said bitterly. Hermione shot him one of her famous don't-joke-about-things-like-that look.   
  
"Give him a break Hermione, he was only kidding," Harry said and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well I hoped everybody stomped on them hard." She said, ignoring Harry's words.  
  
"That's the spirit, Hermione!" Ron said enthusiastically. Harry sighed. It was going to be one of those days. Over the past month Harry had been quite amused with Hermione and Ron. They were almost constantly flirting and it was obvious to everybody that they had huge crushes on each other. They just wouldn't admit it to anyone. Harry sat back into his seat to enjoy the show.   
  
"Hermione, how is it that you haven't become a Prefect?" Harry said. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Oh but I have! I'd just rather hang out with my friends then sit in the middle of the train, doing nothing, and not talking about anything interesting." She said. "I was so surprised when I got my pin, I mean I've gotten in trouble so often, I was surprised I made the cut." She pulled a little silver pin with a P on it and brandished it at them. Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"You read to much." He said plainly. Hermione almost looked hurt this time.  
  
"Stop telling me that Ron, it's getting really old, really fast." She said. Ron looked at Harry and shrugged.  
  
"Okay, okay!" He said. "Hey look! We're moving and I didn't even notice!" Hermione looked to the heavens and threw up her hands in exasperation.   
  
"You're pretty thick, you know that Weasley?" Came a cold drawl from behind them. "Stupid and poor. My, my that's not a good combination."  
  
"Malfoy, leave us alone," Harry said without even turning around.   
  
"Ah! The sun has spoken!" He said sarcastically. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled dumbly. Harry whipped around to face him.   
  
"Har, har Malfoy, you just keep getting funnier every year!" Harry snapped back to him. Malfoy glared at him. "Your face might stick like that you know," Said Harry, seizing the opprotunity.   
  
"You are quite the comedian to, Potter." Malfoy said.   
  
"Yes but I'm not as good as you. I don't have monkeys that follow me around, like you do." Harry said. Hermione and Ron laughed.  
  
"A wizards duel, Potter. Right now." He said coldly.   
  
"No thanks. I've had enough of those for awhile I think." Harry said quickly.  
  
"Oh really? I don't care! Common Potter, or do you already know you'll loose?" Malfoy said.   
  
"Remember what happened last year on the train when you went to far?" Harry said. This time it was Harry who went to far.   
  
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Malfoy yelled. Harry's wand, which he had been twiddling in his hands jumped out of his hands and landed in Malfoy's. Hermione screamed and Ron made a move that looked like he was going to tackle him. Harry held up a hand to silence them.  
  
"Well Malfoy, you can hardly consider it a duel if I don't have my wand. Give it here," Harry said calmly and held out a hand.  
  
"I'm going to hurt you now, when you are un-armed. We'll call it pay back time, eh?" Said Malfoy, and evil smile on his face. He raised his wand high above his head and took a deep breath.   
  
Harry had no idea what he was doing; all that he knew was that he was doing something. He raised up his wand. A small group of people had crowded around the two young sorcerers. There was a crack, like the sound of a whip and something was burning just above his outstretched hand. Harry brought his hand down and looked at it. A small fireball about the size of a large golf ball was levitating five inches out his hands. Some people screamed. Harry vaguely wondered how it had got there, but didn't dwell on the thought.   
  
"Malfoy, give me my wand, now. Otherwise, face the consequences." Harry said and glared at him. Malfoy dropped Harry's wand on the floor, stunned. The fire went out with another crack. "Leave us alone, Malfoy. Get out of here." He said coldly.  
  
"We'll continue this duel later Potter, don't you worry." Draco said before disappearing out of the compartment. The crowd moved away slowly back to their own seats. Harry took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Some of the anger that had built up inside him went away.  
  
"Well that was exiting, was it not?" Harry said. Ron gave him a nervous smile.  
  
"What was that fire thing?" He said. Harry shrugged.  
  
"I have no idea, but it worked so I'm not to worried about it." Harry said.  
  
"Have you ever done it before?" Ron asked lightly.   
  
"Nope. Look at my hand, though. I don't think I'll be doing it again." He said. The palm of his hand had   
been covered in ash and smelled like over cooked chicken.   
  
"Nasty," Hermione said looking at it. "Sanato" She said and pointed her wand at Harry's hand. It wiped the ash and the smell off of his hand. "That was really weird, Harry." She said.  
  
"Wasn't it though?" He said. "But it scared the crap out of Malfoy, eh?" He chortled.   
  
"It scared the crap out of me to," She said plainly. "How did you do that?"   
  
"You got me," Harry said and shrugged. "I wasn't really thinking when it happened."  
  
"Did you say something?" Ron asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"I thought I heard another language escape your lips, but I might have been hearing things." Ron said.  
  
"I don't know any different languages though!" Harry said.  
  
"You know Parseltounge!" Hermione said.   
  
"I can only speak that language in the presence of a snake though." Harry said.  
  
"I didn't know that!" Ron said.   
  
"Yeah." Harry said. "And there isn't a snake in the compartment is there?" Hermione and Ron shook their   
heads. "Exactly."   
  
"Harry, your wand is still on the floor." Hermione pointed out.  
  
"Oh yeah, I guess I should get that before somebody steps on it, huh," Harry said and got out of his seat again. He walked into the middle of the isle and bent over to pick it up. Harry heard the compartment door slide open. A girl giggled.  
  
"Ooh! Cute butt!" She said and slapped it. Harry quickly straightened up and felt himself go red. He turned around to see who had done the deed. "Harry!" The girl said. Harry looked down and saw Cho Chang. The pretty girl smiled and before Harry knew what was happening, her lips were pressed up against his. He went rigid and his eyes were wide.  
  
"Hi, Cho," He said against her lips. Her hands, Harry suddenly realized were slung around his neck and Harry felt his own hands on her waist. They fell into the kiss a little more heavily now that this awkward moment was over. His eyes shut closed and so did hers. Neither of them knew what was happening, but they both knew they liked it. She broke the kiss.  
  
"So you'll go out with me then?" She asked sweetly. Harry was taken aback.  
  
"Uh- sure?" He said pretending to be calm.  
  
"Great! See you later, Harry!" She said and kissed him on the cheek and left the compartment. Harry saw Cho's friends congratulating her through the glass window on the door. Harry shoved his wand into his pocket and sat down again.  
  
"Whoa there killer! What was that all about?" Ron said, grinning at the stunned look on Harry's face.  
  
"I guess I have a girlfriend," Harry said letting the last two minutes sink in.  
  
"Well that was interesting. I got to see one of my friends make out with some girl he hardly knows…" Hermione said.   
  
"Hermione! They are going out, now you know." Ron said, coming to Harry's rescue.   
  
"Even so!" She said indignantly. "What were we talking about before she came in and shoved her tongue down Harry's throat?"  
  
"Touchy, touchy!" Ron murmured to Harry quietly.  
  
"I heard that, Ron!" Hermione snapped. "Back to that fireball thing."   
  
"What about it?" Ron said. Hermione put her hands on her hips.  
  
"You know what I'm talking about! That doesn't happen all he time, you know!" She said. "Maybe you should tell Snuffles about this, Harry!"  
  
"Snuffles? Why would he care? I mean, I'm not hurt or anything. I bet there are other people who can conjure fire without a wand. I'll bet you two could." Harry said pointing at them.  
  
"If only we knew how," Ron said. "When are there going to be tryouts for the team, Harry?"   
  
"I don't know. You'll have to check with McGonagall on that one Ron. I never even had to try out." Harry said, glad Ron was changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah, but you were lucky aren't you?" Ron said.  
  
"I wouldn't go that far," Harry said.  
  
"You are lucky, and you know it! Famous, smart, and good at flying, what haven't you got?" Ron said. Harry knew he was just trying to be nice, but he had missed a few important details.  
  
" I haven't got parents. That's one thing I haven't got." He said heavily.   
  
"But even so! You're rich! Look at me!" Ron said, desperately trying to cheer him up.   
  
"I'm not rich, Ron, but it was a nice try." Harry said. Hermione looked at him with pity in her eyes. "And I have about forty people who would love to see me dead. I wouldn't exactly call that lucky, would you?"  
  
"No, I wouldn't." Ron said thinking about it. "Okay, moving on to the next subject."   
  
"Hermione, have you talked to Krum lately?" Harry asked her. She looked up from her book.  
  
"Oh, no not really. We sort of 'broke-up' when I left." She said.  
  
"Why?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well he was three and a half years older. And I just didn't like talking about Quidditch all the time it got really old. Hint, hint, hint." She said looking at Ron and Harry. Harry laughed out loud. "So I broke it off. We're still really good friends though."  
  
"Friends with benefits, then?" Ron said and raised an eyebrow. Hermione punched his shoulder lightly.  
  
"Just friends." She said. Here we go again, Harry thought as Ron and Hermione started one of their flirting fests. He watched them both as they took turns blushing and said things Harry would have never dreamed possible to come out of their mouths. Eventually Harry fell asleep.  
  
"Harry! Wake up! Wake up!" Somebody hissed in his ear. When he opened his eyes he saw nothing but darkness. The lights in the train had been extinguished.  
  
"What's going on?" Harry asked.  
  
"I'm not sure, because I can see Hogsmeade out the window. Maybe we've broken down?" Hermione said.  
  
"A magical train? Not likely." Ron said.  
  
"And I'm guessing it's not going to be Dementors." Harry said.  
  
"Maybe they are just testing our wits or something," Hermione said.  
  
"By turning off the lights?" Harry said.  
  
"Just a guess!" Hermione said. "Hey look, were moving again!"  
  
"Why haven't the lights come on again?" Ron said.  
  
There was a heavy bump. They all looked around the compartment.  
  
"Hey, why are the lights off in here?" Came Ginny's voice.  
  
"Why? Aren't they off on the other sections?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No, only this one. Hey look they're back!" Ginny said as the candles lit again.   
  
"That's strange. I wonder what happened!" Hermione said curiously. Harry, Ron, and Ginny shrugged.   
  
"Technical difficulties I guess." Harry said.   
  
"I guess so." Ron said. "Oh look were in Hogsmeade! Finally!" The train slowed to a stop in the little town. They headed out side to meet the horseless carriages. They climbed into one and were shortly joined by Neville Longbottom, another Gryffindor fifth year boy. They shut the door and their carriage started to move.  
  
"How was your summer Neville?" Harry asked him.   
  
"Oh it was fine thanks. How was yours?"  
  
"Pretty good," Harry said. Neville's front pocket squirmed and his toad Trevor, jumped out onto the floor. All four of them bent in to grab him and they bumped heads.   
  
"Ouch!" Ron said and rubbed his forehead. Harry did the same. Neville took Trevor in his hands and scolded him. Harry wondered if this did any good, but didn't question it.   
  
The castle came slowly into view and Harry felt like, at long last he was home. They made their way through the large front doors and into the great hall. Harry never remembered it looking so cheery and welcoming. All of the teachers sat at the front table looking at their students as they came in. Harry scanned the table for their new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Somebody pushed him.  
  
"Come on Harry, lets find a seat." Ron said. They took seats in the middle of the Gryffindor table and looked at their empty plates hungrily. Harry looked back up at the teacher's table and scanned it again. A tall young woman smiled and waved at him from the table. She looked very familiar. It was Fluer Delacour. Harry waved back.   
  
"Ron, its Fluer! Or I guess Professor Delacour, now! She's the new teacher!" Harry hissed into Ron's ear. Ron looked up at the table and did the smallest of double takes when he saw her. "She can't be the Defense teacher! She fainted when somebody put the Cruciatus Curse on her. That can't be good."   
  
"She did?" Hermione said, startled. "Not that I would blame her, but aren't those teachers fearless? Like Moody was?" Harry choked on his spit.  
  
"Are you okay?" Ron said and slapped him hard on the back.  
  
"What? Oh…yeah." Harry said. Harry had never really mentioned to Ron and Hermione that the Professor Moody they knew had been a fraud. "Well she's really nice, so at least we won't have to worry about that." Harry said, to cover up the tense moment.  
  
"Look at the first years!" Hermione said and giggled. "They look so scared!" Harry looked over at the little eleven-year-olds. They were glancing around the room nervously and some were twiddling their thumbs. Harry laughed.  
  
"I'll bet you were scared to, Hermione," Harry said.   
  
"Nah. I was ready for it." She said. "I read about the sorting ceremony in Hogwarts, A History. Ron, don't even tell me I read to much." Ron's mouth snapped shut.  
  
"I was scared," Ron said. "I thought I was going to be sorted into Slytherin. I think I would have quit school if I had been. What about you, Harry?" Harry swallowed hard. Harry didn't answer.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione applauded politely as each boy of girl was sorted into the different houses and burst into cheers and screams when somebody was sorted into Gryffindor.   
  
"Amelia Graham," Called Professor McGonagall. A short girl with black hair glasses and green eyes ran gracefully up to the stool and crammed the hat onto her head. She sat there for quite some time before the hat had made up its mind.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" it bellowed. The table exploded into cheers as the girl made her way down from the stool. She sat down next to Harry.  
  
"Congrats," Harry said to her and smiled. She smiled back.   
  
"You must be Harry Potter," She said looking at him.  
  
"Yeah, I must be," Harry said. She laughed and stuck out a hand. Harry shook it.   
  
"Nice to finally meet you. I'm Amelia Graham." She said. Harry nodded to show he heard her. Her friends started to show up next to her and Harry went back To Ron and Hermione.   
  
"What were we talking about before this?" Harry asked. Ron was to busy half gazing at Hermione to answer. Hermione said nothing to.   
  
"Food." Ron grunted suddenly as piles of food appeared before their eyes. Harry helped himself to mashed potatoes, steak, broccoli and a goblet full of pumpkin juice.  
  
"That's all your going to eat?" Amelia said looking at his plate.   
  
"Yeah," Harry said, resisting the urge to say 'what's it to you?' Amelia herself had loaded her plate down with almost everything at the table.   
  
"Are you going to be able to eat all of that?" Hermione said looking at her with wide eyes. Amelia shook her head and started to eat. Harry heard Hermione mutter, "Slave labor."   
  
"What was that, Hermione?" Ron said.  
  
"Slave labor," Hermione admitted.  
  
"If you start that again, you realize I might just have to kill you!" He joked. Hermione missed the humor in his voice.  
  
"Don't say things like that, Ron." She said and elbowed him hard in the ribs.  
  
"Ouch! That hurt! I was only kidding Hermione! Geez," Ron said and started to eat again. The food eventually disappeared from the serving dishes and everybody started meandering to their separate common rooms. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were some of the last people to leave.  
  
"Harry!" somebody called from behind them. Harry spun around and found that he was face to face with Cho for the second time that day. "I thought I'd missed you!" She said and looked up into his eyes.   
  
"Hey, I'll meet you guy's at the common room. Hermione, what's the password?" Harry said to them.  
  
"Honey butter," Hermione said and ran to follow Ron down the hall.  
  
"Harry, now that we're alone," Cho said. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. Harry was startled and stumbled back a few steps before returning her kiss. He wasn't used to this at all. Cho had a knack for catching Harry of his guard. They stood there in the middle of the hall for a second that seemed to be an eternity, kissing. Half of Harry wanted to keep holding Cho, and the other half was petrified of being caught. Harry opened his eyes a little to make sure that this wouldn't happen. Somebody was walking down the hall, but Harry found he hardly cared. Being here with Cho made him feel safe for some reason and he wanted to keep this feeling for the rest of his life.   
  
"What're you two doing-oh," Somebody said from the other end of the hall. Harry and Cho pulled apart quickly and looked at the person who had seen them. It was Ginny Weasley.  
  
"You're good at walking in on people kissing aren't you Ginny?" Harry said, a grin on his face. Cho also had a grin on her face.  
  
"It's an unfortunate habit of mine." She said. The empty hall rang with their laughter.   
  
"Well Harry, I think I'm going to go to bed now. Don't watch Ginny. You have virgin eyes still." Cho said and gave Harry another kiss. "See you in the morning." She said and took off down the hall.  
  
"G'night Cho!" Harry called after her. He turned back to Ginny and they walked down the hall.  
  
"I didn't know you two were dating!" She said.  
  
"Yeah, she asked me today on the train." Harry said. Ginny nodded. "Aren't Hermione and Ron funny?" He asked her. Ginny grinned.  
  
"I know! Aren't they horrible? Those two flirt all the time and are to thick to realize that they love each other." She said.  
  
"You should have seen them on the train this morning." Harry said and looked heaven wards. "I could have killed them both."   
  
"I hope they hook up soon, or I might just die." Ginny said. They reached the fat lady and entered the common room. A small crowd lingered around the fire. Harry and Ginny worked their way up to the crowd and Harry was a little surprised to see that Ron, Hermione and the new first year, Amelia in the center. The crowd parted when they came through. Harry found a seat next to Hermione. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Amelia looked over at him and her face cracked into an evil grin.  
  
"Looks like somebody got some action," She said.   
  
"Wha-?" Harry said and laughed. "How would you know?" She gestured to him to come closer.  
  
She cupped her hands around his ear and whispered, "You have a hickey." Harry quickly slapped a hand over his neck and went back to his seat. He felt himself go red. He wondered where this girl got the nerve to say that to him, but then realized that she had been placed Gryffindor, the house that stood for bravery. She smiled sweetly over to Harry.  
  
"I think I'm going to go to bed now. G'night everybody." Amelia said and stood up to leave. The rest of the Gryffindor first year girls followed her up the stairs, giggling. The crowd slowly drifted away back to their own seats once she had disappeared.  
  
"That was easily the weirdest conversation I've ever had." Hermione said.  
  
"Why's that?" Harry asked. Hermione pointed to Harry and then at the stairs leading to the girls dorms.   
  
"Carbon copies." She said plainly.  
  
"What she's trying to say is that girl is your double Harry. She even looks exactly like you, not to mention she acts like you to." Ron said.   
  
"The little sister I never had?" Harry said sarcastically.  
  
"Exactly." Hermione said.   
  
"So is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Harry asked.  
  
"It's neutral." Hermione said, shrugging. "We start classes tomorrow, I want to get a decent amount of sleep. Good night." She yawned and stood up.  
  
"I think I should sleep to," Harry said. Ron nodded. They headed up to their rooms.   
  
"That girl, Amy or whatever her name is- you have to be related. Your so alike it's not even funny." Ron said from behind the curtains around his bed  
  
"That's impossible Ron, and you know it." Harry said walking across the room to his own bed.  
  
"How is it impossible?" Ron said thickly.   
  
"All of my relatives are dead, except the Dursleys! If I had some other living relative I would be living there." Harry said, shaking his head with exasperation.   
  
"Oh yeah. G'night Harry." Ron said and Harry heard his head hitting the pillow. Harry sat down on his own bed. He was to tired to get up and change into his pajamas and so he just pulled off his robes and his shoes and fell asleep in his clothes.   
  
He woke up earlier than everybody in his dorm and quickly pulled on his robes that he had been wearing the previous night to get warm. He headed down the stairs into the common room.  
  
"Harry! You're up!" Somebody said from one of the tables. Harry scanned the room and found himself looking at Katie Bell and Alicia Spinet, the remaining members of the house Quidditch team. Harry went over to them and pulled up a seat.   
  
"What's up?" Harry said.  
  
"We need to have a meeting." Alicia said, her arms folded on the table. Katie nodded.  
  
"What about?" Harry said.  
  
"Team captain." Alicia said. "We've been up for a long time discussing it."  
  
"So who is it?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well we need to run it by you. We were just going to wake you up." Katie said.  
  
"Tell me already." Harry said.  
  
"You," Katie and Alicia said together.  
  
"Me? Captain? Are you serious?" Harry said.  
  
"Yeah. After three years on the team you've only lost us one game, one game. I think it's a sign or something." Alicia said.  
  
"And you are so good at flying," Katie added. "We think you'd do a good job."  
  
"Please?" Alicia said sweetly. How was he supposed to say no to that puppy face?  
  
"Oh-" He moaned. They looked at him with big eyes. "Oh alright." Alicia clapped her hands together excitedly.  
  
"Great!" She cried and threw her arm around him. Katie did the same. They beamed at Harry.  
  
"When should we have try-outs for all of our missing positions?" Harry asked.  
  
"That's up to you," Katie said.   
  
"Okay but I'm going to need help you know." He said. "When is our first game?"  
  
"We have awhile," Alicia said.  
  
"Good." Harry said. They sat back in their seats and began to talk about the different people they thought should try out for the team. Harry didn't even notice that Ron was standing right behind him, until he started to talk.  
  
"Not cheating on Cho, are you Harry?" He said quietly. Harry just about jumped out of his skin, but didn't show it.  
  
"No, we're having a meeting." Harry said and spun around to face him.  
  
"Not Cho Chang? You're not going out with her are you?" Katie asked.  
  
"Yes, I am going out with her," Harry replied.  
  
"Well just don't be nice to her in our games. We want to get that cup!" Katie said.  
  
"Have you found a new captain, then?" Ron said. Alicia and Katie pointed to Harry, who blushed.  
  
"Him." They said in unison. Ron grinned.  
  
"I thought he was going to end up being the captain sooner or later." He said. "Harry let's go down to breakfast. I'm starving."  
  
"Okay. Are we done here?" Harry asked the two girls. They nodded.  
  
"We'll arrange try-outs later." Katie said. Harry and Ron crossed the common room and over to the portrait hole, pausing only to let Hermione to catch up.  
  
"I heard that you're the new captain!" Hermione said as soon as she was near enough.  
  
"News travels fast." Harry said, surprised.  
  
"Alicia Spinet just told me as I ran past her." Hermione said. Harry shrugged. "We get our new schedules today."   
  
"Yeah, I want to see what the new teacher is like." Ron said. "Professor Delacour."   
  
"Now Ron, no flirting with the teachers." Hermione teased.  
  
"What's it to you, if I decide to?" Ron said. Hermione blushed and thought about it for a moment.  
  
"I would be embarrassed for you," She said finally. Harry sighed. They reached the great hall and took seats. Somebody tapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry spun around, thinking that it would be Cho, but he was sorely mistaken. It was Professor McGonagall.   
  
"Potter I need to speak with you." She said sternly. She walked away. Harry stood up and followed her.  
  
"First day of school and already in trouble?" Malfoy called from the Slytherin table. Harry pretended to not hear him and caught up to his professor.  
  
"I'm not in trouble, am I?" He said when they were out of earshot. She laughed out loud.  
  
"Hardly. I have two things to discuss with you. Here is your Schedule for this year." She said and handed him a piece of parchment. Harry looked at it. Something caught his eye.  
  
"Professor, I think there is a mistake on this. It has me signed up for Advanced Defense against the Dark Arts. That can't be right." Harry said and pointed to the spot after lunch for that day.  
  
"No mistake. That's why I wanted to talk with you. Because of your- your circumstances you have been bumped up into that course. Any questions?" Harry shook his head. " And next, I need to discuss plans for Quidditch tryouts. How about two Sundays from now?" She asked. Harry's heart lifted. He thought for sure that he was in for it.  
  
"That's fine with me." He said. She scribbled a note on a piece of parchment and handed it to him.  
  
"Good. You are dismissed to breakfast." She said and pointed towards the door. Harry left the room looking at his schedule. Only very smart seventh years took that kind of advanced class, did they really expect Harry to keep up? It didn't look like he had a choice. He went back into the hall and sat down heavily at the table.  
  
"What did you do this time?" Hermione asked lightly.  
  
"Nothing. I didn't get into trouble." Harry said  
  
"Well then, what's the problem?" Ron asked.  
  
"They signed me up for Advanced Defense against the Dark Arts." Harry said, scowling at the piece of paper in his hand.  
  
"Let me see that." Hermione said and snatched the schedule out of his hands.   
  
"Hmmm. Look on the bright side Harry, you have a free period when we have to be in regular Defense classes." She said eventually.  
  
"No, you must have read that wrong Hermione. I still have to go to regular Defense classes."  
  
"Well, you got to drop Divination, didn't you?" Ron said. That cheered Harry up a little. "That means I'm the only one left! Darn it!" Harry ate in silence listening to Ron and Hermione bicker over nothing. Hermione realized in the end that this conversation was going nowhere with Ron and went back to talking about school.   
  
"What do we have first?" She asked.   
  
"Potions." Harry groaned. Ron's face fell to.   
  
"Looks like Harry's going to have one really fun day!" He said very sarcastically. The bell rang for students to start heading to their classes. Hermione, Ron and Harry left the great hall and headed down the stairs into the potion's dungeon. What they found there was quite a shock.  
  
Instead of the usual drab, plain stone walls, it was covered in various hanging herbs and spices that were letting out a pleasant smell. Even the candles seemed brighter and more cheery.   
  
"Welcome, students!" Came a woman's voice from the corner of the room. Harry, Ron and Hermione whipped around and saw Fluer Delacour sitting at her desk. "Harry! So nice to see you again." Professor Delacour said in her French accent. Harry noticed that some of the Slytherin boys were hanging around her desk, blushing and mumbling questions like, 'can we get you anything Professor?' Harry laughed and pointed at them. Hermione burst out laughing to as Ron walked across the room, struck by her bewitching beauty. She was part Veela and sometimes she turned on the charm factor that was running in her blood a little to high. Harry sighed and took a seat down next to Hermione.  
"I totally thought she was going to be our new Defense teacher!" Hermione said in an undertone to Harry.  
  
"Totally?" Harry asked, making an impression of a valley girl.  
  
"Totally!" Hermione said, doing the same. Harry grinned. Professor Delacour cleared her throat for attention. The class fell instantly quiet.  
  
"Today we will be working on a sleeping potion." She said. Malfoy's thin face was wearing an evil smile.   
  
"And if anyone uses it out of this classroom, they will face expulsion of this school." She added delicately.   
  
"So if you would all listen to me, I will go over the procedure." They listened as Fluer went over the   
ingredients, taking notes on her well-prepared speech. When she was done, they unpacked their things and started mixing up their ingredients. She walked down the isle, looking at everybody's different potions. She stopped dead at Malfoy's and stirred it around.  
  
"This is much to thick, Draco. You need to go over to the sink and add some water. If you used that one on a person, they would be asleep for months. Work on it." She said and moved on. When she got to Harry's table she stopped again and stirred Harry's. "Perfect. I'm going to give you extra credit for that Harry. Everybody else's is much to runny." She said and scribbled it down on a piece of parchment that she had in her hands.  
  
"That's favoritism, that is!" Hermione said. Ron nodded.  
  
"And only because you were a fellow champion in the Triwizard Tournament!" Ron said.  
  
"Well, there isn't much I can do about it. Anyways, if I get a better grade in this class, it cant be that bad." Harry said. At the end of class Harry and the others dumped the contents of their cauldrons into a very large sink and left the dungeon.  
  
"That was painless." Ron said as they headed up the stairs. "What's next?"  
  
"Care for magical creatures." Hermione said from memory.  
  
"Oh, I wonder what were going to be doing this time? Basilisks?" Ron said.  
  
"So funny I forgot to laugh. Ha. Ha. Ha." Harry said bitterly. Ron grinned widely, missing the sarcasm. Hagrid met the class at his tiny house. They all sat down on the soft grass. Hagrid beamed down at them all and pulled out a large crate of what seemed to be mice. Harry looked at them more closely and saw that they were not mice at all. They had long rat like tails and pointy ears like mice, but they were a strange pale purple color and they had wings.   
  
"Oh! They are so cute! What are they, Hagrid?" Lavender said looking at them.  
  
"They're called Smimies. They are like bats 'cept that they can see. We will be looking after them for the first month or so of term." He passed out the Smimies to the class. They fluttered around their heads and nipped their fingers. They were quite loveable. "All righ' you lot, you are going to feed 'em these corn husks. They only eat the husks while they're babies, as they are now. They grow to be as large as a small cat, but we won't be keeping them that long." Hagrid said as the class tried to persuade the Smimies to stop flying and eat their food. They didn't want to. Eventually they had to grab the little creature out of the air and force it to come back to the ground where they ate their food. Harry thought it had been a very enjoyable lesson.  
  
"Hagrid's gone to better animals ever since that Skeeter cow caught him," Hermione said as they walked back to the castle for lunch.   
  
"Yeah. These ones don't explode or anything!" Ron said. Harry's hand gave an involuntary twitch. They went up to the castle and ate lunch, still discussing the lesson.   
  
"What do we have next?" Ron asked. Harry dove into his book bag and scanned his schedule.  
  
"I have defense." He said flatly.   
  
"Okay then I must have Divination and Hermione, you must have Arithmancy." Ron said wisely. Hermione nodded. They pushed out their chairs and left the great hall and stood in the slowly filling corridor. They said goodbye and headed in their separate ways. Harry took off down the hall and went into the Defense against the Dark Arts room. He looked around scanning the room for anybody that he knew. A bunch of girls waved to him from the far corner. Harry looked at them and realized that it was Cho Chang and Katie Bell and a few girls he had never seen before. He went over to them slowly, feeling slightly intimidated. Cho grabbed his hand and yanked him over there. Some of the girls giggled. She didn't let go of his hand.  
  
"Sit down, Harry." Cho said sweetly. Harry sat down at one of the desks. Harry couldn't see Cho's face, but all the girls went into fits of giggles again. Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know what she had done. He found out soon enough when she sat down on him.   
  
"Well, hello there," Harry said, startled. The girls giggled again. Harry scrunched up his nose. This was embarrassing. Cho didn't seem to notice this, and kissed him on the tip of the nose. The world dissolved around him, and all he saw was Cho. He heard girls giggling as he closed his eyes as they fell into a kiss.  
  
"Potter, get a room." Said a cold voice from above them. He came back to earth with a bump and they pulled away from each other. Professor Snape sneered down at them his eyes dancing with a strange joy. "Miss Chang," He said and walked to the front of the classroom. He rapped his wand on the desk to get attention. "Attention!" He barked. The class fell silent. Harry looked around him at the rest of the members in the class. He didn't recognize most of them, but he could tell that it was a mixed class with people from every house in it. Snape started the lesson with a harsh speech about messing around in his class. Harry half listened to it, thinking more about getting out of the class. Harry was almost to the point of falling asleep when Cho elbowed him hard in the ribs.  
  
"Harry, we're starting the lesson." She hissed.   
  
"The Patronus is a very complicated spell that we will be working on for awhile." He was saying. "Now who can tell me what the Patronus is?" Many people raised their hands, but Snape overlooked them. "Potter." He sneered. Harry sat up strait in his seat.  
  
"What, Professor Snape?" He said without thinking.  
  
"Why don't you tell the class what a Patronus is." Snape said. He had a way of being able to tell when you weren't listening.  
  
"What? Oh-" Cho pointed at a page in her book, but Harry didn't need it. "The Patronus is like a kind of anti Dementor curse." He said. Snape looked stunned.   
  
"Correct," He spat, deprived of not getting Harry into trouble. Cho looked like she was choking back a laugh. "Now turn to page three hundred and ninety two of your books and take notes of what I am saying." Everybody rummaged around in their bags looking for parchment as Snape started to speak. Harry took notes half-heartedly because he already knew all about the Patronus, including how to do it. Snapes lecture stopped twenty minutes later. "Now I would like everybody to try doing the Patronus. As this is a very complicated spell, I am expecting no body to get it at all during the first month or so." Harry put his notes away and got comfortable in his chair. Little wisps of dusty smoke appeared out of all the wands in the class and Harry found himself struggling to stay awake. He inhaled a long deep breath and let it out slowly. His eyes shut and he fell asleep. He was dreaming that he went home to the Dursleys and found that Dudley had become thin and handsome. Somebody elbowed him hard in the ribs again. Harry snapped open his eyes and found himself face to face with Snape. He sneered maliciously at Harry.  
  
"You're in for it this time, Harry!" Katie Bell mouthed in the other side of him. Harry felt that she was right.  
  
"Since Potter has been paying so close attention," He said loudly. The whole class turned and looked at them. Some of the Slytherins sniggered. "He is going to let us see his Patronus. That is if he can manage it." He added. Harry was resisting the urge not to smile.  
  
"Are you sure, Professor?" He said innocently. Snape's cruel grin got wider on his face.  
  
"Yes, Potter, I'm sure." He said.   
  
"Really? I think you might be let down." Harry said, biting his lip.  
  
"That would be the point, Potter." He said a little quieter. "Quit stalling, Potter! Show us!" Harry shrugged and thought hard of a happy memory. His mind quickly shot to spending the summer with his two best friends.  
  
"Okay, here goes. EXPECTO PATRONUM!" He called. At once a large stag burst from the tip of his wand and started circling the classroom, in search for a Dementor. The class applauded. Harry almost bowed, but one look from Snape made him change his mind.  
  
"Potter," He snarled apparently in a horrible mood. "Where did you learn to do that?"  
  
"Professor Lupin taught me in my third year, sir." He said quickly. Snapes face contorted into a look of disgust.  
  
"Yes. Of course." His face was very red. "Class dismissed." Harry didn't like where this was going, because Snape had let them out an hour and a half early. Harry started to edge towards his seat at the back of the room. "Potter, stay behind I want to have a word with you." Harry obeyed and stayed back after the class. Snape was pacing back and forth behind his desk, mumbling things that Harry couldn't hear.   
  
"Professor? You need to speak with me?" Harry said meekly, getting bored.   
  
"Potter, I'm keeping an eye on you," He said finally.  
  
"Yeah you are, for Voldemort." Harry said under his breath.  
  
"What was that?" He snapped.  
  
"Nothing." Harry said.  
  
"Liar. Tell me what you said." He said, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"You said you were keeping an eye on me, and I said that you were keeping an eye on me for Voldemort." He said plainly, as if this was obvious.   
  
"What are you talking about, Potter?" He said coolly, but Harry saw fear lurking behind his eyes.  
  
"I know that you're taking notes on me, Professor." Harry said. A spasm of fear contorted Snapes face.  
  
"How did you know that? I've told nobody!" He said quickly.  
  
"I have my sources." Harry said.  
  
"Like who?" He barked.  
  
"Like me, for one." Harry said. Snape didn't answer him. Harry could tell he was thinking about this.  
  
"You are dismissed." He said. Harry grabbed his things and left the room. Cho was waiting for him outside.  
  
"How'd it go?" She said.  
  
"I didn't even get detention!" Harry said. She gave him a high five.  
  
"Why does he hate you so much?" She wondered.  
  
"It's like a family thing. He hated my dad so in turn, he hates me, to," Harry.  
  
"That's not very fair, is it?" She said.  
  
"No, but there isn't much I can do about it." Harry said and shrugged.  
  
"You sure showed him with that Patronus!" She said and laughed. Harry joined her. "The look on his face! Even the Slytherins were laughing."   
  
"Cho, why did you get put in that class?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, that class is full of people who are at risk. My dad's an Auror, so is Katie's dad. And well it's obvious why you're at risk." She said. Harry nodded.  
  
"I didn't know that." He said. " I just thought it was for smart people. That's why I was confused, why would I be stuck in a smart person class?"   
  
"You are to smart." She said.  
  
"Not as smart as the rest of the class." Harry said. She nodded slowly.   
  
"Hey, I need to get a start on my homework Harry. See you later!" She said when they got to the stairs. Harry gave her a little peck on the cheek and she returned it and then disappeared down the stairs. Harry started heading up the stairs and up to the portrait of the fat lady. He gave her the password and entered the common room. He didn't expect to see anybody there, least of all Hermione, but there she was sitting by the fire, twiddling her wand.  
  
"What are you doing here?" He said when he reached her. She looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"Professor Vector was sick so we had a free period." Hermione said.  
  
"And you're not in the library?" Harry said.  
  
"I wasn't in the mood to read."  
  
"That's a first!" Harry said unable to think of a time when Hermione hadnt been in the mood to read. She smiled at him sarcastically.   
  
"Do you have any food? I'm starving!" She said.  
  
"We just ate like forty-five minutes ago!" Harry said. She shrugged. "Yeah, I think I have some chocolate frogs in my trunk."   
  
"Well, lets go get them!" She said and stood up. Harry was a bit taken aback at her behavior but followed her up the stairs into his room. "I'll let you dig in your trunk." She said and pointed at it.   
  
"Oh gee. What a privilege." Harry said and popped open the trunk. He let out a strangled cry and jumped backward three feet. A large snake was coiled up inside of his trunk, and started hissing madly at Harry.  
  
"What is it?" Hermione said, startled. Harry looked from the snake to her and then back again.  
  
"It's a snake." He said, but it was to late, he was using Parseltounge. Hermione looked like she had been frozen, she was so white.  
  
"They told me you were a Parseltounge but I wasn't to sure if I believed them." They snake said. Harry recognized it.  
  
"Nagini," Harry hissed. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"A warning to a friend?" It said. Harry narrowed his eyes.  
  
"When only last year you were going to end up eating me? Are you sure it's not just unfinished business?" Harry said skeptically. "You work for Voldemort." The word Voldemort came out in perfect English.   
  
"I come bearing a message." Nagini said, ignoring him. "You are the heir, you are the one. You have a power that nobody has told you about. They are going to try to use it against you. You must train hard if you wish to live." The snake said. Harry had no idea what Nagini was saying, it made no sense. Ron appeared in the doorway.  
  
"What's going on?" He said.  
  
"Snake was in Harry's trunk. I heard the word- Volde-You-know-who." Hermione squeaked.  
  
"What? How would you know? He's talking in Parseltounge," Ron said.  
  
"Came out in English." She said. Harry kept his eyes on Nagini.  
  
"You must work on your skill or all will be lost." The thing hissed. Harry was getting mad at this snake. Her 'message' made no sense.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!" Harry screamed and stamped his foot in anger. His hiss echoed down the stairs.  
  
"I am only delivering a message." Nagini said  
  
"Who sent it?" Harry hissed.  
  
"I am not at liberty to tell, sir. I am sorry." She said. "Now I must go and return to where I belong."  
  
"I am the heir? What does that mean?" Harry asked her.  
  
"Dumbledore. He will know." She said and slithered out of the room.  
  
"GET THAT SNAKE!" Harry yelled in English. Ron and Hermione jumped and looked at him, apparently lost for words. "Fine, I'll get her myself," he said took off down the stairs after Nagini. He heard footsteps behind him that meant that Hermione and Ron were following. He entered the common room, were everybody was screaming and yelling, all standing on the tables and chairs. Harry heard the screams of snake and instantly knew that Nagini was near. He scanned the room, looking for her. Nagini was slithering around a table, where a scared looking Parvati Patil was standing.   
  
"Help!" She was screaming very loudly. "Help!"   
  
"Stop right now, Nagini!" Harry hissed much louder than planned for. The few people that were in the common room stopped dead and looked at Harry with fearful eyes. The snake froze. Harry walked over to it and picked it up with some difficulty. "Where do you think you're going?" Harry said to the snake very quietly. A crowd was building around them, looking intently at Harry and the huge snake.  
  
"Home," It replied.  
  
"Not until I'm done questioning you," Harry hissed.  
  
"I have told you all I needed to tell. I must go now." She said and with a snap she disappeared into thin air.  
  
"H-Harry?" Hermione stammered, looking from him to the place where the snake had been.  
  
"I have to go see Dumbledore," Harry said and broke through the crowd.  



	3. The Heir

"Harry, wait!" Somebody called from behind him in the hall. "WAIT!" Harry didn't turn around to see who it was; he just kept running down the hall. There were footsteps behind him, and panting. Harry reached the stairs and jumped down them four at a time.   
  
"Slow down!" Said another voice. It was Ron and Hermione, following him, again.  
  
"This really doesn't concern you two!" Harry called behind him. The footsteps were gaining on him. "Go back to the common room," He said. He had reached the floor where the entrance to Dumbledore's office was. He could almost see the gargoyle guarding it when he ran into something solid. Harry stopped and looked up at the thing he had just run into. It was Dumbledore.  
  
"Why, hello Harry." He said pleasantly, regaining his balance quickly.  
  
"Sorry, Professor." He mumbled. " I was just coming to see you."   
  
"Odd." Dumbledore said, mildly surprised. "I was just going to see you."   
  
"Really? What about? I'm not in trouble, am I?" He said carefully.  
  
"I think we are going to be discussing the same topic," He said. Harry wondered if it was even possible that it could be true. "Come, why don't we step into my office."  
  
"Okay," Harry said slowly.  
  
"Chocolate Frog." Dumbledore said and the gargoyle sprang aside to let them through. They stepped onto the moving staircase and circled around until they reached a door, which Dumbledore opened. He sat behind his desk and Harry sat in one of the armchairs in front of it. "Had a good first day, Harry?" He said kindly.  
  
"Yes, it was very -er- interesting." Harry said, picturing the look on Snapes face when he had done his Patronus.  
  
"Good. I heard you had a run in with a snake just moments ago, Harry." He said. Harry's jaw dropped.  
  
"How did you know that?" He asked.  
  
"Sybil told me. She sent Mr. Weasley to make sure you were okay and then notified me." He said. "Now, what did the snake tell you?" Harry thought hard for a moment, re-living the strange conversation he had had with Nagini.  
  
"She said that I was the heir. She said that I had a power no other living Wizard or Witch possessed. She said 'they' were going to try and use it against me. She said I had to train if I wanted to live." He said finally. "Do you have any idea what she was talking about? Nagini said you would know."   
  
"Nagini? Do you know this snake?" Dumbledore said.  
  
"Yes, well, no, not really. I know whom she belongs to, though. Her master is Voldemort. She was supposed to eat me last year, if I died." Harry said.   
  
"Hmm. I see. Is that all Nagini told you?" He asked.   
  
"Yeah. It doesn't make any sense at all to me." Harry said and sighed.   
  
"I can tell you what she means, although I have to tell you a story to begin with." Dumbledore said.  
"Okay," Harry said.  
  
"Now it begins with your parent's murders. The true mystery of the situation was the fact that Voldemort didn't want to kill your mother, a muggle born. Instead he wanted to kill a pure blooded wizard and his infant son. It confused us because, Voldemort rarely killed pure blooded wizards. And then the second mystery was that your house was in flames when Hagrid reached it to pick you up. Usually the houses or buildings that people were killed in were unscathed. Nothing happened to them, just the people inside. Do you see why we were confused? It made no sense, but recently it has." Dumbledore said. Harry's mind was racing. He had never thought about that before. "You see you and your father are in the direct bloodline of the first Wizard to ever walk the earth, Merlin. We know that he would have wanted to get rid of anything that powerful. Your father was not the heir of Merlin, but you see, his son was."  
  
"What? Me? The heir of Merlin? That can't be right." Harry said automatically. It was just too crazy to believe.   
  
"Yes, it is. Most people know that Merlin's signature power was to draw fire out of thin air, without a wand. Think back, Harry, have you ever made that happen?" Dumbledore said. Harry thought.  
  
"Yeah, yesterday, on the train. Malfoy challenged me to a wizard's duel and I said I wouldn't and he grabbed my wand and said that he would get me anyways and then this little ball of fire just appeared in my hands. It was strange." Harry said, recalling yesterday's strange phenomenon.  
  
"What did you do with it?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Got my wand back and told him to leave. Then it just disappeared." Harry said.  
  
"Yes, it is true then. You are Merlin's heir. When your parents died you literally blew your house up. You got everything except yourself and your parents' bodies. Which was lucky because when the muggles found them there was no evidence of anything magical."  
  
"This is just to weird, maybe it's just a coincidence that the house blew up, I mean maybe they left the stove on or something." Harry said, trying to get out of this situation.  
  
"That could be, but you cant explain yesterday, can you?" Dumbledore said wisely.  
  
"It's not the first time I've made something happen without a wand," Harry said and held up a hand and began ticking off times. "I blew up my Aunt Marge in the summer after my second year. Just this summer my Aunt Petunia tried to kill me by throwing a bottle of hair tonic at me and I stopped it with my eyes. And then my Uncle started to strangle me and I knocked him out with it." Dumbledore held up a hand to silence him.  
  
"Harry, that was a very good try, but you are the one." He said.  
  
"Why couldn't I just be normal? Why?" Harry said and threw up his arms in exasperation. Dumbledore didn't answer this question.  
  
"Your parents knew that you would be the heir," He continued. "Or at least your father did. You were going to be famous no matter what happened. He told me when you were born that you would be the one. And if I'm not mistaken, I was the only person he told, save your mother. He was right, Harry. You are Merlin's heir."   
  
"Okay, I believe you." Harry said, miserably. He didn't want this to be happening in the least bit. "But how are they going to use my power of fire against me?"   
  
"Another mystery." Dumbledore said. "Harry, we've missed dinner." Harry looked at the clock on the wall, which read six forty five. "So why don't you take this plate and go eat dinner back at your common room. I will contact you later, so we can try to train you. Meanwhile, why don't you try getting used to that power of yours." He stood up and walked Harry to the door and handed him a plate full of food he had conjured from the kitchens.   
  
"Bye, Professor." Harry said and stepped on to the moving staircase and went out the door, eating quietly. Ron and Hermione were waiting outside for him. "You did eat dinner, didn't you?" He asked.   
  
"Of course, but we decided to wait for you afterwards." Hermione said. Harry took a bite of chicken and nodded.   
  
"What were you doing in there that took so long?" Ron asked and Hermione glared at him. "If you don't mind me asking." He added quickly. Harry swallowed and took a deep breath.  
  
"We tried to analyze what that stupid snake was talking about." Harry said, avoiding telling them the entire truth.   
  
"Did you get anywhere?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah, sort of. It just makes me wonder how the thing got in my trunk." Harry said thoughtfully.   
  
"You have no idea?" Ron asked.  
  
"Well, a theory. I think it was Malfoy, but there's no way to prove it." Harry said, and took another bite of chicken. They began walking.   
  
"Why do you think it would be Malfoy?"  
  
"Well he's the only person I could relate with that snake. It's either him, or his two gorillas."  
  
"Harry don't jump to conclusions!" Hermione said.  
  
"What d'you mean 'that snake'? Do you know that snake?" Ron said. Harry swallowed the piece of chicken in his mouth.  
  
"That's exactly what Dumbledore asked me. I don't know any snakes. I just know who owns her."  
  
"Who?" Ron and Hermione said at exactly the same time.  
  
"Voldemort. The snake, Nagini, was supposed to eat me last year. If I died, that is." Harry said. "I know you know all about the fourth task," He said to their stunned faces.  
  
"How did you know?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I'm not deaf, you know. I heard you two talking about it." They both blushed.  
  
"Oh." Ron said.  
  
"Nagini was just delivering a message. I didn't get it. That's why I went to Dumbledore." Harry said.  
  
"And did he get it?" Hermione asked, sensing that Harry wasn't telling them something.  
  
"For the most part. It was just strange, you know." He said.  
  
"Yeah. We've only heard you speak Parseltongue once and that was only like three words. It's really freaky." Ron said.  
  
"Why's that?" Harry asked. It seemed completely normal to him.   
  
"Because you weren't taking in any breath, or letting any out." Hermione said.  
  
"And your eyes were glowing. That's what scared me. Your eyes were glowing when you did that fireball thing, to." Ron said. Harry went white.  
  
"Really?" He said faintly.  
  
"Yeah." Ron said. "What did that snake tell you anyways?"   
  
"Rather not get into it, thanks." Harry said quickly. He saw Hermione mouth 'death threat'. "It wasn't a death threat, Hermione." She blushed.  
  
"I still don't see why Crabbe, Goyle, or Malfoy could have put that thing in your trunk." She said.  
  
"Because, Malfoy's dad is a Death Eater. So is Crabbe's and so is Goyle's, that's why. It would be a perfect opprotunity to put it in, when the lights went out in our compartment."   
  
"You weren't jumping to conclusions, then." Hermione said, letting this sink in.   
  
"You're kidding!" Said Ron, looking almost happy. "You can turn them in!" Harry shook his head.  
  
"No, I cant. That idiot, Fudge is in complete denial that Voldemort is back. You saw him that night, didn't you?" Harry found that recalling on that particular day was very hard. He remembered the horrible experience very clearly, but all of the things after it were slightly fuzzy.   
  
"Yeah." Hermione said.  
  
" Well, as long as he considers me 'dangerous' and 'crazy' I can't turn anybody in." Harry said.   
  
"But you're not crazy or dangerous!" Hermione cried.  
  
"Try telling Fudge that. He lapped up Rita Skeeter's story. He believed the entire thing." Harry said coldly. Last year Harry had been in the paper at least once a week.   
  
"What ever happened to her anyways, Hermione?" Ron asked curiously. Hermione smiled with pride.  
"I let her out in London, just like I told you, and the last I heard she has quit her job at the Daily Prophet." She said and ran her tongue along her teeth. They reached the portrait hole and gave the fat lady the password. They were immediately met by Professor McGonagall.   
  
"Potter, Professor Dumbledore has just told me the news. You will meet him and some of the other teachers Friday night at twelve o'clock. Practice. Practice. Practice." She hissed in her ear and left the common room.  
  
"What was that all about?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged and put on a poker face.   
  
"All I caught was 'practice'. Something to do with Quidditch?" Hermione said. Harry didn't answer. He figured they were going to figure out that he was Merlin's heir sooner or later, but they weren't going to be hearing it from him.   
  
"When are try-outs, Harry?" Ron asked, changing the subject.   
  
"Not this Wednesday, but the next." He said, thankful to be off the subject of the snake. "Spread the word, will you?" Ron and Hermione nodded. They sat down in the armchairs by the fire. Harry saw Parvati running towards him.   
  
"You saved my life!" She cried and gave him a hug. "You scared me to death, but you saved my life," She kissed him on the cheek.   
  
"Parvati?" Harry said.  
  
"Yes?" She said.  
  
"I cant breathe!" He choked.   
  
"Oh!" She said and stepped away, embarrassed. Harry then remembered he had told Mrs. Weasley the same thing just last summer. He smiled.  
  
"I don't think she would have eaten you though, Parvati." He lied.   
  
"I don't believe you! That snake was huge! What did you tell it?" She asked.   
  
"I said 'stop right now', nothing to heroic. I don't think I really saved your life."   
  
"You're modest. Harry you saved my life. I owe you one." She said and gave him another hug and then left to talk with the other Gryffindor girls. Amelia, the first year, left the little group and went over to Harry, Hermione, and Ron.   
  
"Hi!" She said to them.  
  
"Hi, Amelia. How was your first day?" Hermione said kindly.   
  
"It was -er - interesting." She said after awhile. Harry looked at the girl strangely. He had said the exact same thing just an hour ago in Dumbledore's office. Come to think of it, Ron and Hermione were right. She did look a lot like him, except she didn't have a scar in the middle of her forehead and she had a rounder face, but otherwise they looked like twins. " I really didn't think I was going to fit in here, but I guess I do."  
  
"We all thought that at first." Ron said looking at Hermione. In their first year, Ron and Harry had hated Hermione. They had only become friends when they 'saved' her life from a large mountain troll.  
  
"Do you guys remember Professor Quirrel?" Hermione said, talking about their first Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. They had never had a defense teacher that had lasted more than a year.  
  
"How could we forget?" Ron said. Amelia looked very confused. "Harry, you explain."   
  
"He was our defense teacher in our first year. He was a servant of Voldemort." Harry said.  
  
"He was a Death Eater?" Amelia said. Harry shook his head.  
  
"No, he wasn't. But he let Lord Voldemort posses his body and he tried to kill me a couple times that year, by bewitching my broom, to kick me off. We found out that Dumbledore was hiding the Sorcerer's Stone in the school and we all thought Snape was after it, I mean that guy is pretty evil." Harry said.  
  
"I know! He hates me!" Amelia said. "I'd bet my life he was a Death Eater!"  
  
"He is a Death Eater." Harry said plainly. " So we went under this trapdoor thing and had to pass all of these obstacles to get to the Sorcerer's Stone before Snape got to it."  
  
"What is the Sorcerer's Stone?" Amelia asked.  
  
"It's the art of Alchemy. It turns any liquid into an elixir of life, and turns any metal to gold." Hermione said. "Harry, continue."   
  
"Well Ron got knocked out by a giant chess piece, and Hermione went back to help him. So when I got to the last obstacle Quirrel met me. I got the stone and then Quirrel and I decked it out. He tried to kill me again, but realized he couldn't touch me. I grabbed his face and he sort of burned. I got knocked out then woke up in the Hospital Wing three days later." Harry finished.  
  
"Why couldn't he touch you?" Amelia said.   
  
"Because my mother died to save me, and that leaves a mark. When he tried to touch me he was affected because something that good hurt him."  
  
"What happened to him, anyways Harry? Is he in Azkaban?" Ron asked.  
  
"He died when Voldemort left his body. Didn't I tell you that?" Harry said. Hermione shook her head.  
"He deserved it." She said. "Harry, did you just say Snape was a Death Eater?"  
  
"He is a Death Eater. Present tense. Or at least he's pretending. He's our 'valuable' spy. But I still don't trust him. He seemed pretty keen on killing me this year. He even opted to do the deed. But Voldemort didn't want him to, go figure. So now he's taking notes on me."   
  
"So he hates you to?" Amelia said.   
  
"Yeah." Harry said. "Join the club." She laughed and Harry joined her, despite the situation. Hermione and Ron looked at each other strangely.   
  
"Are you two sure you're not related?" Ron said.  
  
"All of my relatives are dead except the Dursleys. I know I've told you that before," Harry said.  
  
"And I would have seen you in a photo album or something." Amelia said.   
  
"Forget photos! No, I would be living with you if we were related." Harry said. She shrugged.   
  
"I heard a snake was loose down here earlier," She said, trying to change the subject.  
  
"Yeah, there was." Ron said. "Harry, what happened to it?"   
  
"It disappeared." Harry said.   
  
"I forgot that you guys were there." Amelia said. "So you really are a Parseltounge, aren't you?"   
  
"Yeah, I am."  
  
"How did that happen?"  
  
"How did what happen?" Harry asked.  
  
"How did you get to be a Parseltounge?"  
  
"When Voldemort tried to kill me when I was baby, I got some of his powers." Harry said.  
  
"That makes sense." She said. "I thought somebody was spazing out when we heard that hiss echoing down the hall."  
  
"You heard?" Harry said.  
  
"Duh, Harry. You were, like, screaming at the thing. And you're loud when you do that anyways." Ron said, shaking his head.   
  
"Well, she wasn't making any sense! What was I supposed to do?" Harry said, defending himself.   
  
"You did what you thought was right, and it probably was." Hermione said, sounding a lot like a mother. Amelia stood up.  
  
"Hermione, lets go to bed." She said stiffly and looked at her with searching eyes.   
  
"What? Oh-" Hermione said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow at breakfast." She followed Amelia up the stairs. Harry heard rushed talking as they went up the hall but couldn't make out any of the words.  
  
"That was strange." Ron said and Harry nodded. "Wanna know something?"   
  
"Sure," Harry said.  
  
"Trelawney misses you. She actually misses you." Ron said.  
  
"Why?" Harry said.  
  
"She told us all that you had left the class for more strenuous training. And then she said that you had strong aura around you."  
  
"And then she predicted my death, right?" Harry said.  
  
"Actually no. But it was really weird she called me up to her desk and started talking in this weird low voice, it wasn't hers at all."   
  
"What did she say?" Harry said so quickly that it almost sounded rude. Harry knew that Trelawney had told him a true fortune.   
  
"She said 'The heir will not die, he is to powerful.' Then she snapped out of the little trance she was in and told me to tell you that she says 'hello'. Strange isn't it?" Ron said. Harry suddenly realized he was clutching the arms of his chair very tightly.  
  
"Very." He said. He looked at the clock over the fire. "I'm really tired. I think I'll go to bed now." He stood up.  
  
"Well I'm not, but I don't want to sit here alone either." Ron said and he and Harry went up the stairs into their dorm room where Seamus, Dean, and Neville were already sleeping. Harry put on his pajamas and pulled the curtains around his bed.   
  
"Lumos," He muttered very quietly and a light went on at the tip of his wand. He grabbed the only family picture he had and looked at it. James and Lilly Potter beamed up at him, squinting in the wand light. Th little baby started to squirm when the wand light hit his sleeping body and James took him. He bounced his infant son on his knee and then held him up in the air and zoomed him around like a Muggle airplane. The infant Harry had a wide smile on his face. Lilly took Harry out of his father's arms and put him over her shoulder and burped him.  
  
Harry looked at the little baby boy in his mother's lap. Did they truly know that Harry was the Heir of Merlin? Harry suddenly wondered how old he had been when the picture had been taken. He couldn't have been very old. He took apart the frame and flipped over the picture to see if Sirius had written anything on it.   
  
James and Lilly with Harry, 9 months   
Was written near the bottom of the picture. Three months before their deaths. The all to familiar wave of sadness rushed in his stomach. He put the pictures back in the trunk and fell asleep.   
  
  
***  
  
  
Two days later Harry could have sworn he was related to Amelia. It seemed as though Ron, and Hermione had wanted to prove it to Harry that they were very much alike, and almost forced the two to hang out together. Harry found that he was very busy with Quidditch, even though tryout hadnt even happened. He found himself talking to Alicia and Katie frequently about different people who looked like they should go out for the team.   
  
He hadnt even tried practicing his newly discovered fire talent, of even think about it. Whenever the meeting with the snake was mentioned Harry just nodded solemnly and most people got the idea that he didn't want to talk about it. Somehow the story had spread throughout the entire school and now Harry couldn't walk along the halls without somebody hissing at him. This reminded Harry very much of his second year, when the entire school had found out that he was a Parseltounge.   
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione headed into the Defense against the Dark Arts room. They took seats at the back of the room and started talking.  
  
"Just look at Snape!" Ron said, and pointed at him under his desk. He had a strange expression on his face that just didn't belong. A smile.   
  
"I wonder what he'll be having us do today," Hermione said.  
  
"I have no idea. This is my first regular Defense lesson, mind you," Harry said. Snape silenced the class. He was looking at a clipboard.  
  
"Today we will be reviewing the Unforgivable Curses." Hermione shot her hand in the air. "Yes Miss Granger, I already know you all have a full understanding of these curses, but we need to review them. Let me see who could manage the Imperious Curse? Potter!" Snape said. Harry shrank in his seat.  
  
"Yes, Professor?" He said.  
"Up to the front of the room. Now. We are going to observe you." Snape said curtly. Harry glanced over at Ron and Hermione who gave him tragic looks. Harry walked slowly up to the front of the room. "Who can tell me what the Imperious Curse is?" He asked. The whole class put their hands up. Snape pointed to Neville, who went white.  
  
"The Imperious Curse controls the person it is used upon." He said shakily.  
  
"That is correct, though a very weak explanation. The Imperious Curse is the mildest of the three Unforgivable Curses. If I'm not mistaken you have all had it put on you last year, but only Potter succeeded in resisting the power?" The Gryffindors nodded. "Well now let's see what it looks like again. Potter, you ready?" He said. Harry shook his head.  
  
"No. I don't want to do this, Professor." He said firmly.  
  
"Why not, Potter, don't you trust me?" He asked.  
  
"No, Professor Snape, I don't." Harry said. A few of the girls gasped.  
  
"IMPERIO!" Snape said loudly and pointed his wand at Harry. He was hit with it before he had time to duck. Th wonderful floating sensation was in his body again, and Harry almost forgot why he didn't want this to happen.   
  
Do a flip, said Snape's cruel voice in the back of his head.  
  
I don't want to, said his own voice.  
  
Do a FLIP! It said louder.   
  
No, I really don't want to, said his voice much more firmly.  
  
DO A FLIP! The voice screamed. Harry felt the floaty feeling slowly leave him.  
  
"WHY DON'T YOU?" Harry said loudly, back to himself again. There was a pause and then- Snape did a back flip. The class applauded. Harry was now a little freaked out. That had never happened before. Snape looked very angry.  
  
"Potter, detention. After class." He said and smoothed out his robes. Harry quickly went back to his seat and sat down. They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on the curses, even though they already had them all from last year. When the bell rang everybody rushed out of class and up to the dorms. Harry didn't move.  
  
"What do you want me to do for my detention?" He asked.  
  
"You aren't here for detention, Potter." Snape said. Harry goggled at him.  
  
"Why am I here?" Harry said.  
  
"What did Nagini tell you?" He said.  
  
"Who's asking?" Harry said.  
  
"Potter, I can give you detention." He threatened.   
  
"Okay, okay, but cant you just ask Voldemort yourself? I'm guessing he was the one who sent her." Harry said.  
  
"I could, but this is so much easier." He said.  
  
"Isn't it my business?" Harry said.  
  
"It's mine to." Snape said.  
  
"Fine. She said I was the heir and that Dumbledore would know that she was talking about. Is that what you wanted?" Harry said. Snape narrowed his eyes.  
  
"I don't understand." He said.  
  
"Can I leave?" Harry said.  
  
"The heir? Certainly not Voldemort's heir?" He asked rather to himself than to Harry.  
  
"Get real. Can I please go?" Harry said.  
  
"Yes, leave." He said and pointed at the door. Harry grabbed his thing and left the room and headed up to the dorms so he could drop his things off before dinner. He wondered why Snape wanted to know what Nagini had said so badly. He started jogging up the stairs and down the corridor to portrait of the fat lady. He gave her the password and climbed through into the common room. Hermione and Ron were sitting in the corner, playing chess. Harry went into his room and threw his stuff on his bed. He walked down the stairs and threw himself into one of the armchairs next to Hermione.   
  
"That was a quick detention." Hermione said and groaned as one of her pawns was wrestled off the board by one of Ron's knights.   
  
"Yeah. Snape didn't really have anything for me to do." Harry said, only telling half the truth.  
  
"McGonagall just came up here looking for you." Ron said.  
  
"Do I have to go into her office?" Harry asked, hoping he hadnt gotten in to trouble.   
  
"No, but she gave us this," -he motioned to a candle stick on the table- " ant told us to tell you to practice."  
  
"What do you practice with a candle stick?" Hermione asked him.   
  
Harry knew the real answer would be to practice lighting it without his newfound power but he thought for a moment and then replied, "Extra transfiguration?" Hermione looked at him skeptically but nodded.  
  
"Check mate!" Ron said. He took his pieces and put them in a little sac and put the board off of the table.   
  
"When's dinner again?" He asked.   
  
"Six o'clock." Hermione said and checked her watch. "We still have fifteen minutes."   
  
"Harry, better take that candle and put it in the dorm. It might melt, we're pretty close to the fire." Ron said.  
  
"Okay." He said and grabbed it. He walked slowly up the stairs all the while looking at the stick. Did they really expect him to be able to light the candle using his power? Harry sat down on his bed and stared at it. Nothing happened. He concentrated very hard and looked at it. Nothing happened. He put it on his pillow and walked back down the stairs.   
  
"Took you long enough," Hermione said, "Let's go to dinner." They walked out of the portrait hole and descended the stairs down to the great hall.   
  
"Harry! Wait up!" Somebody called from behind them. He spun around and saw Cho running down the hall after them. He stopped to let her catch up. "I haven't seen you in a while! Where have you been hiding?" She said and linked arms with him.  
  
"Detention." Harry said and she laughed.  
  
"You're not serious?" She said.  
  
"Sort of." He said. They continued walking down the hall.  
  
"Well if it isn't the perfect couple!" Said a cold drawl from the corridor to the left of them. Draco Malfoy and his sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle stepped out from the hall, sneering at them. "Potter, heard you had a visit from Nagini."  
  
"Malfoy, get a life." Harry said.   
  
"I have a life." He said.  
  
"So stop wasting it on me." Harry said and walked down the hall faster.  
  
"What's his problem?" Cho asked.  
  
"I'm not sure, but it'll get him into trouble sooner or later." Harry said coldly. They reached the Great Hall and separated when they reached their own tables. Harry sat down in a chair next to Ron and started to load his plate down with food. Harry noticed that Hermione and Amelia were sitting next to each other and kept whispering things in each other's ear.  
  
"Got something you'd like to tell the rest of us?" Harry said. Hermione blushed.  
  
'Um…no…" She said.   
  
"Harry, when are Quidditch try outs?" Amelia asked.  
  
"Next Wednesday, but you're not allowed to try out." Harry said.   
  
"Why not?" She said indignantly.  
  
" Because first years aren't allowed on the team. It's an old rule and a dumb one at that, I'm sorry." Harry said.  
  
"Then how come you got in during your first year?" She asked.  
  
"Have you ever seen Harry fly?" Ron asked just as Harry opened his mouth to talk.  
  
"Yeah, last year. My family came to watch the first task. You were amazing." She said.   
  
"Thanks." Harry said.  
  
"That's why he was let on the team in our first year." Ron said.   
  
"It's like the only thing I'm good at," Harry said. Hermione choked on her potato.   
  
"Harry, don't say that! You're good at lots of other things! You passed all of your subjects last year with flying colors!" She cried.  
  
"I didn't have to take the end of year exams, though." Harry said. " I got an automatic 'A'."  
  
"True. But even so, you're pretty smart." She said.  
  
"I'm just much better at Quidditch." Harry said. "End of discussion." Hermione opened her mouth to argue some more but quickly snapped it shut. They finished dinner and walked out into the corridor. Cho was waiting for them there.   
"Walk with me Harry," She said and yanked him away.   
"Talk to you later!" He called behind him to Hermione and Ron, who looked almost shocked. "Where are we going?" He asked Cho. She shrugged.  
"I dunno. Take a walk through the castle, I suppose?" She asked. Harry nodded and they started walking around the main level. They finally came upon a door that was labeled 'Garden'. Cho steered him through the door.  
Harry had never been in such a place. It was a very light room covered in different plants. They were blossoming and were letting out a heavenly perfume. A little metal loveseat was in the middle of the room. Cho and Harry sat down on it.  
"I've never been in here before." Harry said. Cho laughed.  
"Of course you haven't. It only appears once a month on the full moon." She said. "I only found it just last year, and I'm not sure if Filch knows about it."   
"It's really cool." Harry said, looking around. One of the candles in the room was out. "How did you find out about it?"   
"Oh I was just walking around one night and this door just jumped up from nowhere. I went in and well, I just keep coming every month to look at the plants." She said and smelled a shocking pink flower and sneezed. She had a dainty high-pitched sneeze that was almost cute. He would have to add that to the list of things he liked about her.  
"Quidditch season is coming up." He said. "And somehow the remaining two players on our team talked me into being captain." Cho smiled.  
"You know we're going to be playing against each other sometime." She said.   
"And we all know who's going to win!" Harry said and pointed to himself.  
"Not if I can help it!" She said. Harry grinned and kissed the tip of her nose.   
"We don't play each other for a while, so don't worry about it." He said. He put his arm around her shoulder and they sat there for a long time not saying anything. Cho scooted closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. It was amazing how well it fit on his shoulder, just barely touching his neck and chin bone. Harry put a forefinger on her cheek and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. She stared up at him with her beautiful brown eyes and they fell into a kiss. Cho broke it quickly.  
"Oh shit! We have to get out of here! This place is going to disappear in, like, ten seconds!" She cried. They ran to the door and opened it. They stepped out of the room just in time; it disintegrated into a stone wall a second after they left.   
"That was close," Harry said. Cho nodded.  
"I don't want you to get into any trouble because of me, Harry. We should probably go to our own dorms pretty soon. Same place same time next month?" She said.   
"It's a date," Harry said. They had a little kiss goodbye and then they walked to their own common rooms. Harry walked up the stairs and climbed in through portrait hole.  
"Took you long enough," Ron said, buried in his Divination homework.  
"Where did you two go?" Hermione said, not looking up from her Arithmancy homework.  
"A walk around the castle." Harry said.   
"Don't you have homework?" Ron asked.  
"Only for Binns and I don't remember what the assignment was, because I fell asleep." Harry said. Ron grinned.  
"Imagine, someone falling asleep in HIS class!" He said. Hermione cracked up, even though it wasn't all that funny.   
"Harry, we were supposed to write an essay about the life of Merlin." Hermione said when she stopped laughing. "I've just finished my Arithmancy homework, so I'll help you, I suppose." She pulled out a clean piece of parchment and her History of Magic book.   
"Let me get my stuff and I'll be right back." Harry said and dashed up the stairs to get his own things. "How many pages?" Harry asked Hermione when he got back down.  
"He didn't say. So you might want to make it longer for extra credit." She said and flipped to the pages in their books devoted to Merlin. "What does this mean, 'his signature power was fire'?" She mumbled. Harry knew the answer strait away.  
"It means he could summon fire without his wand." He said quickly and flipped to the same page. They wrote for a while in silence.  
"How did you know that, Harry?" She asked suddenly, looking up from her work. Harry didn't know how to answer that one.  
"It's common knowledge, Hermione." Ron said, and shut his Divination book. "I'm done with my homework, and I actually understood it."   
"That's a first." Harry said loud enough for him to hear. He mock punched Harry in the arm.  
"Hey! I resent that!" He said.  
"No, you don't! You're proud of it, if anything!" Harry said and punched him back. Ron shrugged.  
"I guess you're right." He said. Hermione had pulled out a piece of paper and was scribbling frantically on it.  
"What're you doing Her-" Harry started, but she held up a hand to silence him. She kept writing on the scrap for about a minute, and then held it up to the light to examine it. Harry glanced at the paper and saw a very complex math equation. "What is that?" He asked.   
"It's a math problem. If this prophecy in the book is right, the heir of Merlin should have showed up," She paused for a moment looking at the paper, "fifteen years, one month and three days ago."   
"So it's wrong then?" Ron said. Hermione shook her head.  
"No, that's just when the person was born." She said. Harry seriously hoped that she wasn't going to realize that it was Harry's birthday she just named. She didn't seem to.   
"What's the point of his heir?" Ron said. Harry was almost offended.   
"He or she inherits the power of fire from Merlin." Hermione said. Harry figured this was an excellent time to change the subject.  
"Hey, do you guys know anybody who wants to try out for the team?" He said quickly. Hermione looked startled.   
"No." She said. "Back to the homework, Harry." She pulled her history book up to her nose and began to read it, pointing out important points as she went. By the time they went to sleep, Harry and Ron had more than enough information than they needed.   
Harry went into their dormitory and pulled the curtains around his bed. He grabbed the candle and stared at it hard. Nothing happened. Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked at the candle again. Nothing happened again. He took another deep breath and glanced at the candle. The wick smoked momentarily but then was extinguished. He was a little closer to lighting it. He stared at the candle harder than he had in the past. Nothing happened. He let the air out of his lungs and just looked at the candle, as if to tell it, that if it didn't shape up pretty soon, he was going to break it in half. It lit. Harry was very startled and jumped a little. He blew the candle out. He thought hard. How did he make it happen? He had been telling the candle to light and then it did light. Did that mean he just could command it to light fire? He tried it again. He thought in his mind, light candle, light you stupid candle. The flames jumped back to life. He blew the flame out again and did the trick over and over until he was sure he knew how to do it right. When he was done the candle had been reduced to just a stump and light was beginning to creep over the grounds. Harry hit the pillows and fell asleep felling very proud of himself.   
  
Harry was very nervous on Friday. He wondered what they were going to be making him do. He knew that he could burn a candle, but what if it suddenly didn't work. What if he couldn't remember how? Harry did a mental shrug. He was being stupid. Nothing horrible would happen to him, at least for now. He shuddered when he thought of what was in store for him. It scared him to think that he could be attacked at any time, and was on constant alert. If Voldemort had an extra pair of eyes on him, he was very vulnerable. Hermione and Ron didn't seem to notice that Harry had become almost as jumpy as Mad-Eye Moody was at the end of their last year. When somebody tapped him on the shoulder he would whip around very quickly and scare the poor person half to death.   
"What's with you, Potter?" Malfoy asked that day at the end of Potions on Friday.   
"Nothing." Harry snapped.  
"On the lookout Potter? He's going to get you." He said.   
"Keep talking Malfoy, and the whole school can hear how you have these connections." Harry warned. Malfoy's grin faltered a little.  
"My father." He threatened.  
"That's right your father, Malfoy. Your father the-" Harry's voice was muffled when Ron clapped a hand over his mouth.  
"Shut up!" He hissed. Harry elbowed Ron in the stomach and he removed his hand. Malfoy took a deep bow and then curtsied.  
"Now if you'll excuse me, Merlin boy, I want to get to dinner on time." He took another bow and left the dungeon. Ron and Hermione looked at Harry strangely.  
"What did he call you?" Ron asked.  
"I dunno." Harry said.  
"He called you 'Merlin boy.' Harry what is that supposed to mean?" Hermione said. Hermione must have been putting two and two together.   
"I dunno." Harry said.  
"Harry, what aren't you telling us?" She asked. Harry was trapped.  
"Nothing, nothing at all. Except that I'm really, really hungry." Harry said and started walking up the stairs to the great hall, where dinner would be served in ten minutes. He sat heavily in a seat next to Neville. Harry wasn't sure why, but he was mad. He was mad at life. Nothing ever happened the way he wanted and he was beginning to be very agitated with the whole thing. Hermione and Ron sat down next to him a little while later.   
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked timidly.  
"Nothing, I'm just mad at Malfoy. I'm sorry, don't pay any attention to me." He said and shook his head. Hermione didn't believe him.  
"It's something else, isn't it?" She asked. Harry shook his head again.  
"No, really. It's just Malfoy." Harry said.  
"Well don't let him get to you." Hermione said.  
"Easier said than done," Harry reminded her. McGonagall was walking towards him. He slumped in his seat.  
"Potter, how is practice coming?" She said quietly.  
"I have it down, if that's what you want to know." Harry said, equally as quiet. Hermione and Ron were listening, or trying to.  
"Excellent! Don't forget twelve o'clock tonight, on the Quidditch field." She said and took her place back at the teachers' table.  
"So how much did you guys hear?" Harry asked and looked at them cynically.   
"We only caught 'Quidditch' and 'practice.' But why so secretive?" Hermione said.  
"Well, if it's a secret, why would I tell you two, eh?" Harry said.   
"Good point." Hermione said reasonably, but looked very put out. They ate dinner and headed back up to the common room and Harry watched as Hermione lost to Ron over and over again at chess. Harry glanced up at the clock and saw it was ten o'clock. Hermione followed his gaze and immediately yawned.   
"I think I'm going to bed." She said and stretched. Ron did the same.   
"Yeah." They walked up the stairs. Harry looked at them skeptically but went to bed anyways. Ron shut the curtains around his bed but Harry never heard him fall asleep. Around an hour later he heard Ron get out of bed and leave the room. Harry figured he just needed to go to the bathroom, but Harry never heard Ron return to the room.  
At eleven thirty Harry got up and stretched. He pulled his robes on over his pajamas and left the room. He was very tired and wished that he could have gotten some more sleep. He walked slowly and silently down the stairs, so he didn't wake anybody. He looked in one of the rooms to see what time it was and saw that he only had twenty minutes to get to the Quidditch field. He stared to run down the stairs, and was making a little noise. As he reached the bottom stairs he heard people talking.  
"Get off, Ron!" A girl hissed. "Some ones coming!" Harry recognized the voice, as Hermione. Harry walked out the door to see Hermione and Ron sitting at opposite sides of a couch, looking the picture of innocence.   
"Harry! What're-" Ron started but Harry cut him off.  
"I won't ask, if you don't." He said and continued walking very fast to the end of the room. He climbed through the portrait hole and hogged down the hall and slid down the banisters until he reached the two large front doors. He pushed them open and walked out into the cool night air. It woke him up. He walked over to the Quidditch field. Harry saw four tall figures at the other end and he jogged over to them. Harry stopped next to them and panted.  
"Good evening, Harry," Said Dumbledore.   
"To you to." Harry said. "I can't see. Lumos." He said and his wand lit. Harry looked closer at the faces in the shadows. Dumbledore was there of course and next to him was Snape. The other two were on the other side of Dumbledore. One of them was a familiar face- Professor Lupin, the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher in his third year. They shook hands warmly. Professor Lupin looked just as Harry had seen him last, in torn and patched robes and a smile on his face.  
"Good to see you again, Harry." He said. Harry looked into the face of the fourth person. Harry could barely see it. All he could see was incredibly dirty and tattered robes and longish dark brown hair. Harry knew who it was.   
"Sirius?" He asked. Sirius looked down at him and smiled. He pulled Harry into a tight one-armed hug.   
"See, Harry? I told you I'd see you soon." He said and pulled away. Snape said nothing in greeting to Harry, but he didn't care because Harry hated Snape just as much as Snape hated him. Harry grinned; this wasn't going to be as bad now that he knew that he liked most of the people present.   
"Now Harry, I trust you've been practicing hard?" Dumbledore said. Harry nodded.  
"I think I've got this thing down." He said. "It took a long time, but I get it."   
"Good. Why don't you show us?" Dumbledore said and beamed down at Harry. He pulled out a candle. Harry looked at it. It lighted. Dumbledore looked mildly impressed. "It is true then. You are the heir. Now we have to set some guidelines for you. No lighting any thing on fire that has a face. We can replace bushes and trees, but a human life is priceless." He said. Harry nodded. "Unless the person happens to be Voldemort. Then we will allow you to use it on a person."   
"I think that went without saying." Sirius said. Lupin nodded.  
"Even so, we must tell him. Harry, we need you to practice this power on larger things." Dumbledore said.  
"Why?" Harry said.  
"I don't know, but you need the practice for whatever may be in store for you." Dumbledore said. Harry was a little taken aback. He had never seen Dumbledore not know what he was doing. It just didn't seem possible. "Accio shrub!" Dumbledore said and a little bush came flying towards them from the Forbidden Forest. Dumbledore let it hover there for a while.   
"You want me to burn that thing?" Harry asked, hoping he could do it. Dumbledore nodded. Harry looked at it and told the bush, light up right now or you'll be sorry, and it burst into flames. Harry told the fire to go out and it disappeared.   
"How did you do that?" Sirius said suddenly. Lupin elbowed him in the ribs. It reminded Harry of himself and Ron. Harry shrugged, not able to put his actions into words.   
"I didn't know about that power," Dumbledore said. Harry noticed that Snape was taking notes.  
"Professor Snape, what're you doing?" Harry asked. Snape looked up at him from his clipboard.  
"Taking notes," He said coldly.   
  
"For who?" Harry asked. Snape didn't answer; he just went back to writing. Harry didn't trust that man at all. Dumbledore started to talk again, breaking the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Harry, you told me about a fireball?" He asked. "Do you know how to do that one?"   
  
"I never tried to do that one." Harry said. "I remember I just lifted my hand into the air and then it was just -there."   
  
"Would you like to try again?" He asked. Sirius was shooting Dumbledore daggers with his eyes. Harry shrugged again and thought for a little while. What had he been doing? It came to him. He put his right hand into the air and concentrated on Malfoy's sneering face. He felt sudden warmth above his hand. He brought it down and looked at the fire. It was much larger than he remembered it. Now it wasn't the size of a mere tennis ball, it was the size of a beach ball. Lupin was guarding his eyes with an arm above his eyes, and so were the rest of them. Harry cleared his mind but the thing didn't go out. Go out, I don't need you any more. Harry told the thing. It immediately disappeared. They lowered their arms away from their faces.  
  
"That was amazing," Lupin said faintly.   
  
"Harry, you told me it was only the size of a tennis ball." Dumbledore said.  
  
"I had some extra motivation this time." Harry said, realizing his flaw.   
  
"Which would be," Snape said. Sirius was now shooting him daggers with his eyes.   
  
"You," Harry lied. Snape's sneer faltered. Both Lupin and Sirius tried to stifle laughs, unsuccessfully.  
  
"Now, Harry. Treat Professor Snape with a little more respect." Dumbledore said. Now Lupin was glaring at Snape to. If the situation hadnt been so serious Harry would have burst out laughing, but he was holding the outburst of laughter back inside his throat.   
  
"Yes, sir." Harry mumbled.   
  
"Why don't we try long distances now." He said and banished the half-burned shrub back fifty feet. Harry strained his eyes to see the thing. From fifty feet away the bush exploded into flames.  
  
"Harry Potter and the burning bush." Harry said in an undertone. Dumbledore, Sirius, and Lupin all burst out laughing again. Harry grinned at his successful joke. Snape had on a poker face, but Harry could tell that by the way his mouth was twitching he was restraining a smile, or a laugh.   
  
"All hail the chosen one!" Lupin said, and pretended to grovel.   
  
"Let my people go!" Said Sirius. Harry laughed at this one. Dumbledore stop laughing and cleared his throat.  
  
"Harry, the bush, if you please?" He said. Harry extinguished the fire. "Much better. Now that we know your power works, you may go up to the castle again and get your well-deserved sleep. I will contact you if we need to have another meeting."  
  
"Tell Hermione and Ron I said 'hi'!" Sirius said.  
  
"For me too." Lupin said.  
  
"See you soon Harry," Sirius said and turned into the great black dog and Lupin and Sirius walked down the road into Hogsmeade. The remaining three people walked back to the castle in silence. Snape turned off at the Dungeons and Dumbledore said goodnight to Harry when they reached the third floor. Harry climbed up the stairs to the fourth floor and went to the portrait of the fat lady.  
  
"Where have you been?" She squawked.  
  
"Apple Pie." Harry said and she swung forward on her hinges. (She had changed the password earlier that day.) Harry climbed through the hole and looked around the room. Hermione and Ron were still sitting on the couch, having a pleasant conversation. They stopped abruptly when he sat down next to them.   
  
"Where have you been?" Ron asked him.   
  
"Practicing." Harry replied.   
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked.  
  
"That I was practicing." Harry said.  
  
"What were you practicing?" Hermione said.  
  
"What's with the third degree?" Harry asked.  
  
"Harry, we're concerned about you. We think you're not telling us something." She said. Harry wasn't going to tell them. He knew he was being stupid, but he just couldn't do it. He was about ready to burst, having a very bad day and being fed up with his life style.  
  
"Why couldn't I just be normal?" Harry said quietly. Hermione looked at Harry with searching eyes.  
  
"Harry, you're not normal, so don't try to be," She said. She told Harry the bitter truth and then Harry snapped. He couldn't take it any more.  
  
"You don't get it do you? You don't get it either!" He said and pointed to Ron who turned slightly pink. "I'm always getting special treatment. Everybody always looks at me whenever I'm in public. I don't want that. I don't want to be famous. I don't want to be treated special. Heck! I don't want to be Harry Potter!" Harry had a lump in his throat.   
  
"Calm down, Harry." Hermione said and gently touched his shoulder. He wrenched himself away from her touch.   
  
"I just can't take it any more! Poor little Harry Potter, our tragic little orphan hero. He's got no parents and a strange, ugly scar on his forehead." He took a breath. "All I ever wanted in life was to be treated like a normal person. But oh no, that's never going to happen because I'm Harry Potter, and everything always happens to me." Harry stood up and ran up the stairs before tears started streaming silently down his face. He knew he was being stupid, feeling sorry for himself but he couldn't help always feeling singled out, even in school. Harry pulled off his robes and lay on his bed, curtains pulled tightly around him. He heard Ron enter the room shortly afterward.  
  
"Harry?" He asked. Harry didn't say anything, tears still rolling steadily down his cheeks. He wiped them away with the sleeve of his pajamas. "I'm pretty sure you're awake, but I can take a hint when a guy doesn't want to talk." He said. Harry ignored him again. He rolled over in his bed and thought about what he had just said. Harry wanted to slap himself; he had been so melodramatic. He supposed he deserved to fume about it, but his friends didn't need to hear it. He rolled over again and fell slowly into a restless sleep.   
  



	4. Fueding Friends

  
Sunday finally came and Harry felt very stressed. He got up at five thirty in the morning to get ready for the tryouts, which would begin an hour after lunch. Light was beginning to creep over the grounds when Harry pulled himself out of bed and got dressed. Ron tossed in his sleep.  
  
"What're you doing, Harry?" He mumbled groggily.  
  
"Tryouts," Harry whispered.   
  
"Mmmphh," Ron said in response and fell back asleep again. Harry grabbed his broom and walked down the spiral staircase and into the common room. It was completely empty. The warm fire looked very inviting but Harry steered himself through the portrait hole and woke up the Fat Lady. She started chewing him out, but Harry told her quickly that she should mind her own business and took off down the hall. He was so deep in thought about the tryouts that he hardly noticed where he was going. He knew Hogwarts like the back of his hand, thanks to the Marauders Map. His shoulder bumped something. Harry looked up and found himself face to face with Snape. Harry was definitely awake now.  
  
"You should watch where you're going Potter. Somebody might attack you," Snape said and avoided his eyes.  
  
"Like who?" Harry said. Snape didn't answer.  
  
"What are you doing out of bed at this hour," He said.  
  
"I'm getting ready for tryouts. I'm team captain." Harry said. A twisted smile appeared on his face.  
  
"Oh, yes, how could I forget? Yes, we will win the cup this year for sure." He said, the twisted smile growing larger on his face.   
Harry said nothing. Snape walked on down the hall and so did Harry. When he reached the large front doors he was back to thinking about tryouts. The Quidditch field was back to normal again, the large bushes had been knocked off and it was flat and smooth again. The grass was shimmering in the early morning night. Harry dropped his broom on the ground and started to get to work. He went over to the broom cabinet and pulled out about twenty brooms and lay them down neatly in a stack, just incase somebody needed to use one of them. He then started making lines for each of the positions.   
He looked at his work. It looked very organized. Maybe this wasn't going to be as hard as he had imagined it. He saw that somebody was watching him in the stands. Harry couldn't tell who it was and pretended to be looking at his perfect lines to get a closer look. As he was walking to them he trod on some sort of sturdy stick. He was just about to step off of it when it started to lift off the ground Harry looked down in horror and realized he was standing on his broom and he was actually flying. It was very strange indeed. Harry looked hopelessly around him to see if there was something to hold on to. He looked down again, which was a mistake because he lost his balance. He struggled to regain it by sticking his hands out to either side of him. The broom veered left. Harry realized he could steer the broom like this, even though it wasn't his preferred type of flying. Slowly and very carefully he lowered the broom back to the ground and jumped off of it. The broom hovered three inches off the ground at Harry's ankles. He grabbed the broom and leaned it on the chair he had dragged out of the locker. He stared into the stands to try to see what or who was watching him. It appeared to be a large dog. At first Harry thought it was only Fang, but this other dog was much larger than Hagrid's boarhound. It wagged its tail and barked at him. It was strangely familiar. Harry ran over to the stands quickly.  
  
"Siri- Snuffles?" Harry said astounded. Sirius barked again and thumped his tail on the bleacher. "What're you doing here? Wait you cant talk like that…" Harry said realizing his mistake. The dog looked around his surroundings and then in an instant he had transformed into his godfather.   
  
"Dumbledore wants me here. Thinks you need extra- extra protection." He said. Harry gave him a quizzical look and Sirius shrugged. Harry suddenly realized Sirius had on new clean robes, and his hair was much shorter and was slicked back. "Nice change, isn't it?" He said.  
  
"Yeah, but where did you get the money?" Harry asked.   
  
"Lupin." He said shortly. "My robes were in much worse condition than his…"   
  
"So how long are you staying?" Harry asked. Lupin shrugged again.  
  
"Until Dumbledore says I'm not needed anymore." Sirius said.   
  
"Well, where are you going to stay?" Harry asked.  
  
"Your room." He said.   
  
"Where in my room?" No matter how much he cared for Sirius, he did not want to share a bed with him.  
  
"On the floor, relax. Dumbledore gave me a dog bed, and I'm trying not to take it personally." He said and Harry laughed. "What are you doing out here anyways?"   
  
"I have to get ready for tryouts today." Harry said.  
  
"Sounds like fun," Sirius said sarcastically.   
  
"Highlight of my day," Harry said flatly. "What am I supposed to say when somebody asks me why a dog is following me around school?"  
  
"Oh, I never thought about that," He said and chewed his lip and thought hard. "Um, you could say it's the family dog, who won't leave you alone?"  
  
"That escaped from the Dursleys?" Harry said.  
  
"Forgot about them for a moment," He said.  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Harry said. Sirius turned back into a dog suddenly. Harry looked around and saw that somebody was heading on to the field.   
  
"Harry, is that you all the way up there?" Came Ron's voice from the ground. Harry walked down the stairs and met Ron on the field, shortly followed by Sirius.  
  
"The one and only," Harry said. Ron grinned sarcastically.  
  
"What is that dog doing here?" He asked without realizing it was Sirius.  
  
"Take one, big fat guess." Harry said. The dog made a noise as though it were trying to laugh.  
  
"Sirius?" Ron said, amazed. Harry nodded.  
  
"Yeah." Harry said.  
  
"Why are you out here so early? You're turning into a regular Oliver Wood, you know that Harry?"  
  
"I have to set up for tryouts, you know that." Harry said. "But I'm done now. When's breakfast?"  
  
"Now, that's why I came out here." He said. They headed up the field and the stairs and into the great hall for breakfast. Hermione choked and fell out of her seat when she saw Sirius.  
  
"Snuffles?" She said breathlessly as she regained her position on the chair. Harry nodded shortly and began to eat, and every once and a while handing things down to Sirius. Harry was amazed at how well Sirius was at being a dog. He let people pet him and scratch behind his ears and even licked the back of Neville's hand. (Even though his expression looked disgusted.) The table instantly fell in love with him and soon everybody was handing him food under the table. Hermione and Harry exchanged surprised glances, but Ron seemed to be enjoying the show.   
  
"Ooh, Harry, what's your dog's name?" Lavender squealed as she pet Sirius.  
  
"What? Oh-er Snuffles." He said awkwardly.  
  
"What a cute name!" A first year girl said. All of the girls nodded even Hermione to Harry's surprise. Harry ate breakfast quickly and left and beckoned Sirius to come. The girls weren't to keen on letting him leave, but in the end he got away from them.  
  
"What a good dog," One girl said.  
  
"Yeah, very obedient." Said Amelia. She looked at Harry as if she was on to them. "Harry, why is this dog here?" Harry ignored her question.  
  
"Quidditch tryouts at one o'clock everybody." He called down the table and left with Hermione, Ron and Sirius following him. They walked outside and went in the Gryffindor locker rooms. Sirius transformed.  
  
"Hello Hermione, Ron." He said and nodded in their direction. Hermione and Ron both blushed.   
  
"Hi," They mumbled.   
  
"What were we talking about before?" Sirius asked Harry.  
  
"What I'm supposed to say when people ask why a dog is following me wherever I go," Harry said.  
  
"That's the one," Sirius said and started to drift into thought.   
  
"I can't just ignore people," Harry said.  
  
"You could tell them the truth, that Dumbledore thinks you need extra protection." Sirius said.  
  
"That's true, but then I'll probably have to explain why." Harry said.  
  
"It's common knowledge You-know-who is after you, Harry. We've known that since we met you." Hermione pointed out.   
  
"To true," Harry said. "I thank that's the only answer that makes sense, anyways."   
  
"Exactly," Sirius said. Harry glanced around the locker room. He had heard a noise that sounded like somebody had turned on a shower.  
  
"What was that?" Hermione said as Harry thought the same thing.   
  
"I'll go check it out." Harry said and stood up.   
  
"Not without me, you wont." Sirius said and in the blink of an eye he was a dog again.  
  
"I don't really need you to come," Harry said irritably. Sirius barked at him and the sound echoed around the room. Harry stuck his head into the room where the shower stalls were. There was nobody in it, but one of them was leaking. Harry tightened the knob on it and headed back to Ron and Hermione. "It was nothing. See I told you," He added to Sirius, who was still a dog. The shaggy dog narrowed his eyes at Harry as if to say, there could have been something there. " I need to get back to work." Harry said.  
  
"Is there anything we can help you with?" Hermione said.  
  
"Oh, no not really. I just need to find Katie and Alicia so we can go over what's happening," Harry said thoughtfully. Hermione looked thoroughly relieved.  
  
"Well then we'll just be in the castle for a bit. I might come down later to watch if I get my homework done." She said. Ron snorted, and Sirius rolled his eyes. Harry showed them the way out and watched them walk slowly up to the castle. Harry could tell Ron and Hermione were having a heated conversation because Hermione had her hands on her hips and was shaking a finger at him.  
  
"Hey, Harry! The field looks great!" Came Alicia voice form behind him.  
  
"I should hope so!" Harry said, "I've only been here since around five thirty!"   
  
"Just don't turn into Oliver on us, okay Harry?" Katie said. Harry let out a short laugh.  
  
"I don't think you need to worry about that." He said. "How many people signed up for try outs?" Katie consulted her clipboard.  
  
"Thirty-seven people," She moaned.  
  
"We'll be here forever!" Alicia cried.  
  
"Not if we man different stations. Let's see, we only have three different things to try out for, that's one for each of us." Harry said.  
  
"I call chaser!" Alicia said a once.   
  
"I'll take keeper," Katie said.  
  
"That leaves me Beaters," Harry said. "It works."  
  
"You are so nice, Harry!" Katie cried and gave him a hug. Harry staggered backwards a little and she broke the hug.  
  
"Uh- thanks?" Harry said.  
  
"If it isn't Potter, the school heartthrob." Said a cold voice from behind him. Harry spun around to face Malfoy.  
  
"What is that you're calling me?" Harry said.  
  
"Nothing." Malfoy said, an evil grin on his face.  
  
"What're you doing here?" Harry snapped.  
  
"Came to enjoy the show." Malfoy said. Goyle and Crabbe guffawed stupidly next to him.   
  
"Well I hope you're having a good time then," Harry said cheerfully, keeping his cool. Malfoy's grin disappeared and he stormed off towards the castle.  
  
"What crawled up his butt and died?" Katie asked looking at the tree people walking towards the castle. Harry and Alicia snorted with laughter. A half an hour later people started showing up for tryouts. Five of them left when they saw the large crowd. Alicia silenced them.  
  
"Okay, tryouts are going to be starting now, so if you could take your places in the lines!" She bellowed to them. The people separated themselves into the three lines. Harry called the first person in the line of beaters over. A little second year boy came running up to him with one of the school brooms. Harry recognized him as Dennis Creevy.   
  
"Hiya Harry!" He said.  
  
"Hello." Harry replied. They rose into the air and Harry threw soccer balls at him to see if he was any good. He wasn't. The poor kid was hit by them all and nearly fell off his broomstick every time. Harry showed him where there was some water and cups when they landed and he walked off panting. Harry noticed the line for his station was smaller than the rest. They had seen poor Dennis get butchered in the air and had wandered off. There were only about seven people left. Alicia was yelling at her line. Harry listened to her.  
  
"Okay people! We've found somebody! Sorry! Better luck next time!" She cried. Grumbling about seventeen people left and headed back to the castle. Harry and Katie ran over to her.  
  
"You've found somebody?" Harry said.   
  
"Yeah she's great!" Alicia said.  
  
"Who is it?" Harry asked at once. Alicia pointed over to the table with the water and cups. There Harry saw Amelia drinking heartily.  
  
"But she's only a first year!" Harry told her. She shrugged.  
  
"You were only a first year too, remember? Anyways McGonagall recruited her, so I think it's okay with Dumbledore." Alicia said and sighed.   
  
"Is she related to you Harry?" Katie asked peering at him.  
  
"No, it's just a coincidence we look a lot the same and act alike." Harry said in a very exasperated tone. Harry went back to his station and finished up the tryouts. He had a good idea of which people he wanted on the team when the last person left. Harry picked up the small mess they had made and threw it into the broom closet. Ron, Hermione and Sirius came down from the stands to meet him.  
  
"Hey Harry!" Hermione said.  
  
"I didn't even notice you guys were here," Harry said.  
  
"Oh, feeling the love over here..." Hermione muttered  
  
"Any idea of who's on the team?" Ron said.  
  
"Well Amelia is on the team and I still am thinking for the Beaters. I think we're announcing it at dinner tonight." Harry said. Hermione nodded.  
  
"So- anything new?" She asked him. Harry looked at her quizzically and Ron elbowed her.  
  
"Uh- what? No," He said slowly in reply. Hermione looked at him in a way that meant she was on to something.  
  
"Are you sure?" She asked. Ron crossed his arms and looked away from her.  
  
"Yes, and I would have told you if anything was new." Harry said.  
  
"Yeah," She said sarcastically. "Sure you would."   
  
"Hermione what's with you?" Harry said.  
  
"Harry, what's with you?" She replied. Harry suddenly understood why she was questioning him so, or at least he thought he did. She wanted to know what he wasn't telling them.  
  
"Nothing is 'with me.' Hermione, what are you trying to get at?" Harry said harshly.   
  
"You know something that we don't." She said and put a hand on her hip.  
  
"So?" Harry said. "I know a lot of things that you don't." Hermione looked at him eagerly.  
  
"Tell us." She said.   
  
"I don't need this right now." Harry muttered under his breath.   
  
"Harry, you don't need to tell us anything," Ron said. Now Hermione elbowed him.  
  
"We have a right to know," Hermione said.  
  
"A right to know what?" Harry cried.  
  
"What you aren't telling us!" She said.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry lied. Hermione sensed it and put a hand on her hip. They reached the front doors and pushed them open.  
  
"Just tell us, you'll feel better," She said kindly. Harry was getting a little sick of this argument.  
  
"How would you know, Hermione? It might just make me fell worse, to. Ever think of that?" He snapped. Hermione looked shocked at the tone of his voice.   
  
"I-I wouldn't." She said. She dropped the subject and they headed up into the Gryffindor common room where Harry worked on his homework while Ron and Hermione had a game of chess. Sirius sat watching them and getting the occasional pat on the head from people heading up the stairs. Harry noted that Sirius didn't seem to mind being pet on the head or having somebody scratching behind his ears.   
  
Monday morning came much to soon for Harry. He was very worn out from the tryouts and didn't even notice that the potion dungeon didn't have dried herbs littering the wall until he took his normal seat in the middle of Ron and Hermione.   
  
"I wonder why Professor Delacour quit her job?" Ron asked him. Harry looked up at him, startled.  
  
"She did?" Harry asked. Ron and Hermione nodded.  
  
"It's been flying around school all morning." Hermione said. "Where were you when this happened?"  
  
"Not paying attention. I wasn't really listening this morning." Harry said and yawned.  
  
"What were you doing then?" Hermione said skeptically.  
"Thinking," Harry said.  
  
"About what?" She asked casually. Harry shrugged.  
  
"Nothing." He answered quickly and Hermione looked a little put out.   
  
"Oh," She said. Harry looked around the room. Snape was back.   
  
"Not him." Harry groaned.   
  
"I wonder why he moved back to being the Potions Master. Didn't he like the job?" Ron said.   
  
"Well we've always know him to be a bit thick, eh?" Harry said. Ron snorted with laughter and Hermione looked cross.   
  
"Harry he's going to hear you!" She hissed harshly but Harry saw amusement in her brown eyes. Snape rapped his wand on his desk and the class fell silent.  
  
"Today we will be working on the Confounded Drought. The user of this potion will become very stupid. Are you taking notes on this?" He barked at the class who all began scribbling on their parchment. Harry noticed that Sirius had his teeth bared at Snape and his eyes were narrowed.   
The class finished writing and started making their potions while Snape walked around looking in each of the cauldrons making sure everybody was doing his or hers correctly. When he looked into Harry's he wrinkled his nose.  
  
"Potter, it is much to thin. Work on it." Harry looked into his cauldron when Snape walked away. The bluish-grey potion wasn't thin at all.   
  
"That's not very fair." Harry muttered under his breath.  
  
"Well he's not a very fair person is he Harry?" Ron pointed out.  
  
"I suppose you're right. Calm down Snuffles, he's always been like this to me; it's nothing unusual." Harry added to Sirius, who looked ready to attack at any moment. Snape had now moved to look at the Slytherins cauldrons. He nodded at most of them, and told off Crabbe and Goyle for not even starting yet. He was now looking at Malfoy's. Harry didn't watch, he knew what was coming.  
  
"Perfect, Mr. Malfoy. Your potion is absolutely perfect. The rest of you-" Snape stopped talking abruptly. There was a faint, echoing snap and Harry smelt something burning. He whipped around and realized Malfoy's potion had caught fire. People started to scream. Snape conjured some water and directed it to Malfoy's fiery cauldron. The fire didn't go out. Harry did not start that fire, or did he? He couldn't remember.  
Harry wondered if he should help out, by putting out the fire, but decided that he would watch the fun for a while. It took three minutes for Snape to realize that the fire was waterproof. The look of horror on Malfoy and Snapes faces got deeper as the fire didn't burn out. Harry couldn't help but grin. Snape gave up after a while rose his wand to conjure more water. Now was Harry's chance just as the fire was hit with the water Harry extinguished the fire. His grin faded instantly as Snape rounded on him.  
  
"POTTER!" He bellowed. Harry's stomach dropped. Snape had thought Harry started the cauldron fire. The class silenced and looked at Harry.  
  
"Y-yes Professor Snape?" Harry said innocently.   
  
"DETENTION!" Bellowed Snape, very red in the face. Harry wasn't going to stand for this.  
  
"What did I do?" Harry asked. Snape looked ready to explode.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU DO? WHAT DID YOU DO?" He yelled, the words echoing off the walls. The class was deadly silent except for Sirius' growling. "POTTER, YOU KNOW VERY WELL WHAT YOU DID!" Harry shook his head innocently.  
  
"No, honestly Professor, I don't." Harry said.  
  
"YOU STARTED THE CAULDRON ON FIRE!" He yelled, now purple in the face, his temples throbbing.   
  
"No I didn't!" Harry said sharply. "My wand is in my book bag! How could I have?" All he was saying was true. He didn't start the fire, and his wand was packed safely away in his book bag. Harry had a nasty feeling that Snape was going to blow his cover about the heir of Merlin.   
  
"YOU USED THAT POW-" But the rest of Snape's sentence was drowned out, because Sirius had picked that exact moment to begin barking very loud. When he stopped Snape looked around until his eyes fell on Sirius. He grinned an evil grin.  
  
"Potter take that dumb mutt out of my classroom, it's disturbing my lesson." He spat to Harry. Harry had to grab Sirius by the collar to prevent him from attacking Snape.   
  
"He has to stay, Professor Snape. Dumbledore's orders." He said coolly.  
  
"Fine, but tell it to shut up." He said. Harry gripped the collar tighter. Dumbledore had made sure Sirius had a collar before he let him 'escort' Harry to his classes. He felt strange, holding his godfather by a collar. It just didn't seem right in a way. Harry let go of the collar and Sirius lay down and put his head on the floor. Some of the girls got up during the rest of the lesson to pet Sirius because they felt sorry for 'the poor puppy.'   
When the lesson ended Harry, Ron and Hermione tromped up the stone stairs and leaned against the wall.   
  
"Harry, you didn't set Malfoy's cauldron on fire." Hermione said. "Because that was me. But I didn't put it out either."   
  
"Who did then?" Harry asked, though he already knew the answer.   
  
"That's what gets me," She said thoughtfully. "Because that fire was waterproof, and it looked like Snape put it out with water."   
  
"That was really weird." Ron said.   
  
"Why?" Harry asked.   
  
"Because when you were looking at the fire you're eyes were glowing and then it disappeared." Ron pointed out.  
  
"Glowing? It must have been the glint of fire on my glasses. Why would my eyes glow?" Harry said in a panicky tone. Hermione looked at him skeptically.  
  
"They were glowing when you did that fireball thing on the train to." She said. Harry looked at them as though they were crazy.  
  
"What are you getting at?" Harry said.   
  
"Nothing. Oh crap I have to be at Arithmancy in three minutes see you two!" Hermione said and took off down a hall. Ron and Harry departed quickly to. When he reached the Defense against the Dark Arts room, it was deserted. Harry saw that there was a note written on the chalkboard.  
  
"Students, class has been canceled until we find a replacement D.A.D.A. teacher. Use your free time wisely.   
  
"Awesome!" Harry said and strode down the hallway again and found himself in the main hall. "What should we do until lunch?" He asked Sirius. The dog shook its shaggy head. Harry shrugged.  
  
"Why don't we se if Hagrid is busy," He suggested and they headed out into the sunny day. Harry saw Hagrid outside his hut cleaning his windows. Harry and Sirius walked over to him and Hagrid turned around just as they came up to him.  
  
"Harry!" He said.   
  
"Hi Hagrid." Harry said and smiled.  
  
"Why aren't yeh in yer class?" Hagrid said and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Defense is canceled until they find a teacher." Harry said. Hagrid nodded.  
  
"Why don't you come inside? We could have some tea." He said and started to walk into the hut. Harry and Sirius followed him inside. Hagrid looked at Sirius long and hard. "That dog looks mighty familiar." He said to Harry.  
  
"Really?" Harry said, surprised.  
  
"Yeah, reminds me of somebody, I can't put my finger on who." He said, deep in thought. Harry felt a little nervous.  
  
"Don't you mean 'what' instead of 'who'?" Harry asked. Hagrid shook his head.  
  
"No, his eyes look so familiar. Look a lot like- nah it couldn't be." Hagrid said.  
  
"Who?" Harry said eagerly.  
  
"Almost like a boy I knew a long time ago. Almost twenty years since he graduated." Hagrid said.   
  
"Oh." Harry said. "That's strange."   
  
"Not really, I've always thought Fang looked a little like my old dad," Hagrid said thoughtfully. Harry looked down at Fang. Harry didn't think he looked anything like Hagrid's dead father. "What's his name?" Hagrid asked Harry.  
  
"Snuffles," Harry said shortly. Hagrid looked at him strangely.  
  
"You named him that?" He asked, looking disgusted.  
  
"No, name came with the dog. I had no choice." Harry said and looked down at Sirius.  
  
"I woulda named him 'Pepper.' It fits because he's got blackish hair." Hagrid said.   
  
"That's a good name." Harry said.   
  
"It's strange how much he looks like him," Hagrid said.  
  
"Looks like who?" Harry said.  
  
"Black. He's got Black's eyes." Hagrid said slowly. Harry's stomach sank for he second time today.  
  
"Was Black and Animagus?" Harry asked Hagrid, though he knew the answer was yes.  
  
"No, he couldn't possibly have been. He was very smart, but only seven people have ever managed to actually do it this century." Hagrid said thoughtfully.  
  
"Oh," Harry said. He was relieved, for a second, Harry thought Hagrid was on to them. Harry looked at the clock on Hagrid's wall. "I have to go to lunch now, Hagrid, bye!" Harry and Sirius walked out of Hagrid's hut and headed up towards the school. They walked into the castle and met up with Ron and Hermione.   
  
"Class was canceled until they find a teacher!" Harry said excitedly. Hermione frowned.  
  
"We'll fall behind!" She said. Harry rolled his eyes. "Okay fine, we won't be behind, but that's a lot of free time to you, Harry."   
  
"I know!" Harry said, pleased.  
  
"Snape at seven o'clock Harry," Hermione suddenly hissed out of the corner of her mouth. Harry casually looked behind him and saw Snape looking still very mad. Harry snapped his head back forward as Snape drew nearer to them.   
  
"Potter I need to speak privately." He muttered in Harry's ear.  
  
"I'll see you guys later." Harry said to Ron and Hermione. Harry and Sirius turned to follow Snape into his office. Snape shut and locked the door and pulled the curtains down.  
  
"Sirius, your usual form, please." He commanded. Sirius turned back into a man, a look of utmost disgust on his face.  
  
"What do you want?" He spat at him.   
  
"I have to warn Potter of something." He said, keeping his temper, though his eyes flashed.  
  
"Warn me of something?" Harry said, startled.  
  
"You do know that I have been writing a report on how strong your powers are, correct?" Snape said business like. Harry nodded.  
  
"Yeah, since summer." Harry said.  
  
"How?" He asked. Harry looked at him strangely.  
  
"Why do you ask?" Harry said coyly. Snape narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Don't be insubordinate now, Potter. Just tell me." Snape snapped. Harry narrowed his eyes at Snape.  
  
"Why do you want to know?" He asked more fiercely.  
  
"JUST TELL ME!" Snape said loudly.  
  
"Well I wasn't there in person. Put two and two together." Harry said coldly. Snape thought about this for a while.  
  
"In a dream?" He said finally.  
  
"Good job." Harry said. He glanced over at Sirius, who had amusement in his eyes. "What are you going to warn me about?"  
  
"I warning you that they are going to use that power of yours against you, they are." Snape said.  
  
"How could they use it against me?" Harry wondered out loud.   
  
"I don't know, but they have plans to kill you." Snape said. Sirius shuddered.  
  
"Tell me something I don't already know." Harry said bitterly. "Voldemort's been after me since my parents died. That's not recent news."  
  
"Okay, okay. But watch your back, Potter." Snape said. Harry looked at Snape with malice in his eyes.  
  
"Nobody can harm me here, there are way to many people watching me." Harry said.  
  
"Don't be to sure of that." Snape said.  
  
"I don't know if I trust you," Harry said and Sirius nodded. "I'm still trying to decide if you want to save me or kill me." Snape said nothing.  
  
"How do you know all of this?" He asked.  
  
"I'm a lot smarter than everybody gives me credit for." Harry snapped. "I know what I'm doing, and I always have."   
  
"You can leave now." Snape said and pointed towards the door. Sirius turned back into the shaggy black dog and they walked out of the room. Hermione and Ron were standing three feet away from them and had 'guilty' written all over their faces.  
  
"How much did you two hear?" Harry asked them. They both blushed. "The entire thing?" They nodded.  
  
"Harry, who's plotting to kill you?" Asked Ron almost at once.  
  
"Do you really need to ask?" Harry said bitterly. He opened his mouth to speak again but Hermione cut him off.  
  
"What powers do you have?" Hermione said.  
  
"What powers do you have?" Harry snapped back to her.   
  
"Urgh!" She fumed, and raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Why are you so- so impossible?"  
  
"Take a hint, Hermione. I'm not going to tell you," Harry said in an icy and very exasperated tone.   
  
"So you are keeping something from us!" She said quickly in the same icy tone. Harry didn't answer her. Ron looked mildly shocked to see them fighting. He kept looking from Hermione to Harry and then back again. Harry noticed that he seemed to agree with her, from the look on his face.  
  
"Just tell us!" She said to Harry harshly.  
  
"Figure it out on your own," Harry snapped. Hermione looked like she had just seen Harry in a whole new light. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and Harry backed slightly away from her, but she rounded on him before he could get away.  
  
"Harry Potter, you are so- you are such a JERK!" And she slapped him very hard on his left cheek. Harry's head jerked sideways and he stumbled over into Ron. A surge of anger ran through him and he turned around and walked quickly in the other direction, Sirius close behind him. He was not quite sure where he was going at the moment, but he didn't care, as long as he was far, far away from Hermione. His cheek still stung from where she slapped him. Harry didn't stop walking until he found a seat in one of the halls. Sirius jumped up and sat on the bench next to him. Harry knew by the look in his eyes that he was going to ask why he hadn't told Ron or Hermione who he really was.   
  
"Because," Harry told the shaggy black dog, "I don't need anymore rumors about me spreading around the entire school." Sirius nodded his head very reluctantly. Harry rubbed his cheek, where the pain was still lingering. He took a deep breath and stood up and headed down the hall towards lunch.   
  
He sat down away from Ron and Hermione, and they kept shooting him looks that Harry couldn't read, but whenever their eyes locked, Harry quickly looked away. He talked to Neville during lunch about how unfair Snape was to the Gryffindors. Harry listened to him and commented every once in a while, but he was mainly trying to listen to Hermione and Ron's conversation. He only caught his name and a few tidbits of a very heated conversation. It seemed Hermione was mad at Harry still, and Harry planned to fight back. His friends had never seen him argue at all, and he half wanted to surprise them, and then win.   
  
A month went by without Harry hardly noticing it. Between homework and Quidditch practice, Harry was incredibly busy. Hermione and Harry were still furious with each other and weren't speaking. Ron wasn't mad at Harry, but sided with Hermione in the fight so Harry wasn't really speaking with him either. He was lonely, but hardly noticed because off all his work.   
  
One day Harry was sitting at lunch, his mind wandering when Professor McGonagall appeared at his shoulder. Harry, startled looked up at her. "C-can I help you?" Harry said. She nodded.   
  
"Dumbledore wants to see that dog of yours. Don't ask me why, but he does," She added as if Dumbledore didn't know what he was doing. Sirius got to his feet and padded softly out of the room. Harry watched him until he turned the corner and was out of sight. He gazed into his bowl of soup. He ate it quietly and got up from the table and started slowly walking towards the door. He heard the scrape of chairs on the floor, but he didn't bother to look at who it was. He still had a half an hour before class started. Harry decided to go up to his dorm and get his books. He started climbing the stairs. He took the shortcut through the suit of armor on the third floor and heard somebody following him. Harry glanced around casually and saw, to his disgust, Hermione and Ron. He quickened his pace and so did they.   
Harry didn't want to be followed, especially this early in the morning so he started to jog. He got to the other end of the shortcut and looked around his surroundings. He had seen a hidden room on the Marauders Map once a long time ago and looked down the hall to see if he could remember where it was. Ron and Hermione came out of the shortcut and looked at him with searching eyes.  
  
"Harry-" Hermione started, but stopped talking when she saw the cold look on Harry's face. She started walking slowly towards him. Harry glanced around his surroundings and saw where he needed to go, a large portrait of two old witches playing chess.  
  
"Forgive me," Harry said solemnly.  
  
"I certainly will not!" Hermione said and opened her mouth to speak again but snapped it shut as Harry rose his wand high in the air.   
  
"Not about that, because of this," Harry said. He swooshed his wand down and then shot a thick purple mist out of his wand. He dove through the portrait of the chess players and landed in a beautifully furnished room. It had rich scarlet armchairs and springy carpet to match. A warm fire crackled on one side of the room. Harry looked to the portrait he had come through. It was semi transparent so you could see the hall and the portrait. Hermione had apparently cleared the fog away and they were both looking madly around them to see where he had got to.  
  
"Where did he go?" Ron said and looked behind his shoulder. Hermione followed his gaze and shook her head.  
  
"That fog barely lasted for ten seconds, he couldn't have run that fast…" She said and looked up the hall towards the portrait of the fat lady.   
  
"Have you ever seen that boy run?" Ron said skeptically. Hermione shook her head.  
  
"Not that I can remember," She said thoughtfully. "Is he really fast or something?"   
  
"It's amazing. It's almost like he's running from something terrible, so he goes like three times as fast as normal people." Ron said quietly.   
  
"I never knew that," Said Hermione, her brows crossed. Harry was to the point of puking; he was so sick of them talking about him behind his back. Harry got up from the chair he was sitting in and walked over to the exit of the room. If he did this right, he could scare the crap out of them.   
  
"Ever had the feeling you were being watched?" Ron said suddenly. Hermione nodded.  
  
"Yeah, right now." She said and looked around her. Her eyes met Harry's, but she couldn't see him. "It's really weird."  
  
"I don't care who hears us, just as long as it's not Harry. I really wish it's not him." Ron said to Hermione and the both looked down the hallway at the same time. Harry seized the opprotunity and stepped silently out of the room. He started running towards the portrait of the Fat Lady. Ron and Hermione whipped around and looked at him.  
  
"Be careful what you wish for, Ron!" Harry called behind his shoulder. He got to the portrait hole and clambered through it and dashed up to his room. He grabbed his book bag and some pieces of homework and ran back down the spiral staircase, hoping to avoid Hermione and Ron at all costs. It was too late; they had already come into the common room and were blocking the staircase exit. Harry stopped very quickly. He looked at their determined faces and then at the stairs. He spun around again and started to jog up the stairs again. He heard footsteps after him.   
  
"Stop!" Panted Hermione, "Hold it right there. We need to talk to you!" Harry didn't stop running. He had reached the dorm room and he ran inside it without thinking. Hermione and Ron caught up to him and bustled inside the room and blocked the door. He was trapped. Harry looked hopelessly around the room to see if there was anyway to get out. There wasn't.   
  
"Trapped," Said Ron, a look of amusement on his exhausted face.   
  
"I need to get to class, so if you wouldn't mind moving," said Harry irritably, ignoring Ron.  
  
"You're excused. McGonagall wanted us to talk to you anyways, she doesn't mind if we're late." Hermione said.   
  
"Okay let me rephrase this- I don't want to 'talk.'" Harry said coldly to Hermione. Her eyes flashed and Harry lost the icy tone in his voice, he didn't want to be slapped again.   
  
"You've got no choice." Hermione said. "Seriously Harry, we need to talk." Ron and Hermione's eye bore into Harry and he felt like a little kid running away from his parents.   
  
"What do you want to talk about?" Harry said as if he didn't know.  
  
"We're concerned about you-" Hermione stumbled.  
  
"Why?" Harry interjected. He didn't like it when people were concerned about him; he liked to think he could take care of himself.  
  
"Harry you've been acting all jumpy since we picked you up over the summer." Hermione said lightly. Harry looked at them flatly.  
  
"You'd be jumpy to if you were in my shoes." He said.   
  
"What's in your shoes?" Ron said with a slight grin. Harry didn't answer, he didn't even look at him, afraid he might laugh.  
  
"You know what I mean." He snapped.  
  
"If you told us what was going on maybe we'd understand you better." Hermione said. Harry had the nocuous feeling in his stomach again.   
  
"And if I don't want to tell you?" Harry said.  
  
"If you don't want to except it." Hermione shot back at him. Harry glared at her.  
  
"You don't know that Hermione, so don't say it." Harry said bitterly. Hermione looked at him with searching eyes.  
  
" Harry, why are you so secretive?" Hermione said her voice strangely muffled, as if holding back tears. Harry sincerely hoped she wasn't going to cry.  
  
"If you'd been through half of what I've been through, you'd learn not to trust anybody to." He said shortly.   
  
"Y-you don't trust us?" She choked.   
  
"Look what happened to my parents when they trusted one of their best friends. They were murdered." Harry spat.  
  
"Like we'd kill you," Said Ron mildly.   
  
"I never said you would." He told Ron. "But there are many others who would love to."  
  
"Harry, you're not going to be killed." Hermione said. Tears were silently streaming down her face now.  
  
"Don't hold your breath." Harry said. "Let's face it Hermione. I've been lucky four times; do you really think that I'm always going to be that lucky? If you call it lucky…" Nobody said anything in response to this.  
  
"Are you very happy, Harry?" Said Ron, breaking the tense moment.   
  
"Happy? What kind of question is that?" Harry said.  
  
"You don't smile much anymore." Hermione pointed out.   
  
"Do I have a reason to smile or laugh?" Harry said. A lump was starting to appear in his throat.   
  
"You've got everything!" Ron said.   
  
"I don't want to talk about this anymore, thanks. I'd much rather be in transfiguration where nobody is questioning me non-stop." Harry said and stood up. Hermione and Ron both put hands on his shoulder to hold him back.  
  
"You can't leave." Hermione said. Harry glared at them both.  
  
"The hell I can. Get you're hands off of me." He hissed. They didn't take their hands of his shoulders. "Don't make me do something you're going to regret."  
  
"Like what, Harry?" Ron said. Harry looked at him.  
  
"You wanted to know the other day what my powers were?" He said.   
  
"Yes?" Hermione said eagerly. They didn't move their hands off of him.  
  
"Well, I was you I wouldn't want them used on me." Harry said shortly.  
  
"You cant get us Harry, you dropped your wand on your bed," Ron pointed out. Harry let out a hollow laugh.  
  
"There are some types of magic where you don't need a wand, Ron." Harry said.  
  
"Was that a threat?" Hermione asked. She clearly didn't think Harry would ever hurt them.   
  
"You're the genius, you figure it out." Harry said. Hermione blushed as if this was a compliment. How wrong she was. Harry suddenly froze. He couldn't believe himself. He was being so stupid. "I'm sorry, I'm acting like a jackass. Hermione you're right. I can't accept it, and if I can't accept it, I'm pretty sure you guys won't be able to."  
  
"What can't you accept?" Hermione said lightly, hoping he wouldn't blow up on them again.  
  
"That is none of your business." Harry said and pushed through their arms and walked off to Transfiguration.  
  



	5. The Dursleys

  
Harry made a strong effort not to be bitter towards his 'friends' for the next two weeks. They were still a little mad at each other.  
  
Professor McGonagall came around the common room one evening, taking names of the people staying. He saw Ron and Hermione sign up out of the corner of his eye. They probably figured two school free weeks would be a perfect time to work the truth out of him. McGonagall walked over to Harry. He reached out to take the quill from her, but she didn't give it to him.  
  
"Potter, you are going home for the holidays." She told him. Harry's jaw dropped.  
  
"Don't I get to choose where I spend my holidays?" He asked, not willing to believe this.  
  
"We know what's best for you. You are safer with those- your relatives." She said. Harry slumped back into his chair.  
  
"No." Harry said flatly.  
  
"Yes. You are going. That's final." McGonagall  
  
"Well this is just peachy. Two weeks with the Dursleys. They are going to kill me." Harry said.  
  
"They have been notified and they have arranged a cab to pick you up from the station. Here is the money required." She gave Harry two ten pound notes.   
  
Hermione was watching Harry. She couldn't hear what McGonagall was telling him, but it must have been bad, because Harry's face fell suddenly. Harry's face...she sighed. He was very cute. Harry didn't seem to realize this but almost every girl in the school had a crush on him. Hermione didn't have a crush on Harry, though. She had a crush on Ron. And Ron had a crush on her. She sighed again. Life was good. Only it had been missing something lately, that something being Harry. She was still mad at Harry, but she missed his sarcastic comments and arguments with Ron about Quidditch.   
  
Harry looked disgusted as McGonagall strode away from him. His nose wrinkled and the look in his eyes was almost comical. He crossed his arms and hmphed, shaking his head slowly. Hermione gathered up her courage and walked over to him and sat down.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked. She wasn't expecting him to answer, but he did.  
  
"They're making me go to the Dursley's over Christmas break." He said bitterly. Hermione's heart melted for him.  
  
"Why?" She asked.  
  
"Seen to think I'm 'safer' there." He said.   
  
"That's crazy."  
  
"Exactly what I told her. They are going to kill me. I didn't exactly leave that house on good terms, did I?" Harry said and hmphed again. "Two weeks. Two weeks! I have now entered living hell. Pardon me while I go drown myself in the showers."   
  
"Don't kill yourself, Harry." Hermione said. Harry, instead of saying something rude back to her, laughed.  
  
"You always did take everything way to seriously." He said and got up. "I need to pack." He walked up the stairs to his dorm. Hermione slouched back in her chair, like Harry had done. The position was quite comfortable. Ron came over and sat next to her.  
  
"Did you two make up?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know." Hermione said after a bit of thinking.   
  
"What's wrong with him, anyways? He looked really ticked when he came into our dorm room." Ron asked. Hermione looked into Ron's eyes.  
  
"They're making him go to the Dursley's over Christmas break. They think he'll be safer there." She said. Ron's grin faded.  
  
"Safer? They'll kill him, more likely." He said.  
  
"He said the same thing." Hermione said.  
  
"What're we going to do?" Ron asked suddenly.   
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked pertly.   
  
"Hermione, you know what I mean. You miss his company. I miss his company." Ron said.  
  
"Well I don't know if I'm ready to forgive him yet!" Hermione cried.  
  
"I'll bet we can figure out what he's not telling us without pestering him." Ron said.  
  
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked.  
  
"He's only dropped a million clues, even if he doesn't realize it." Ron said.  
  
"Like the candle." Hermione said. "I found it in a trash can last week, and it was nothing more than a stump."  
  
"And how he keeps disappearing in the middle of the night, and comes back smelling like smoke." Ron said.  
  
"That's not a clue Ron. He's probably just smoking pot or something." Hermione said with a shrug.  
  
"Harry doesn't seem like the type of person to smoke. Believe me." Ron said.  
  
"Yeah I cant see Harry smoking a wad of Marijuana either." Hermione admitted.  
  
"Well I think we're on to something. Candles, smoke-that's all related to fire." Ron said.  
  
"That doesn't make any sense." Hermione said. "But you're right we're on to something. Let's go to the library."   
  
  
Harry hauled his things on to the Hogwarts express with a very heavy heart. It was like he was walking the death march. Would the Dursley's let him do his homework? They'd better le me, Harry thought bitterly, or else I'll fall behind.  
  
He didn't know whom he should sit by; Harry had never been on this train alone before. Harry sat down in an empty compartment and put his duffel bag in the seat next to him. He grabbed a book he had bought in his last trip to Diagon Alley (Quidditch through the Ages) and read. He had already read this book at least twenty times, but he liked it a lot, and it never got boring.  
  
Boring. A perfect way to describe this train ride. He felt a little sick after awhile from reading on the bumpy train and looked out the window, but he got bored of that too. He looked at the clock by the door. He still had five hours left on this wretched train. Then he'd be taking a Muggle cab to the Dursley's. He balled his hands into fists without even thinking about it. He hated the Dursley's with a passion. Just like he hated Snape with a passion.   
  
Harry suddenly wondered where Sirius was staying over the holidays. Most likely the castle. He half hoped Sirius would tell Hermione and Ron about being the heir of Merlin, and he half didn't want to be exposed.   
  
Could the famous Harry Potter get even more famous? Harry certainly hoped not. Maybe the famous Harry Potter would become less famous, Harry told himself, it's always possible. He didn't believe it.  
  
  
  
Hermione pulled a thick book off the shelf in the Library. Ron spotted her as she stepped carefully down the latter. She heaved the book onto the table and flipped it open.  
  
"What is that book, Hermione?" Ron asked his friend curiously as she started flipping through the pages.   
  
"It's a book on Merlin." Hermione said shortly.  
  
"Why did you get a book on him? That has nothing to do with Harry." Ron said.  
  
"I don't know about that, Ron. Remember about two months ago when Malfoy called Harry 'Merlin boy?'" She asked.  
  
"No, of course I don't. That was two months ago." Ron said crossed his arms. "I still don't think that could have anything to do with Harry. Malfoy was just being a jerk, like usual."   
  
"Hold on Ron, I think I've found something. Listen to this," Hermione cleared her throat and read from the book, "Merlin was famous for drawing fire out of the air with out a wand. Merlin would use this strange power frequently to light the fire in his cave or to create diversions to escape an enemy. His friends always noted that he smelled like something cooking on a fire, because all of his clothes were smoky.' Ron, let's go look in Harry's trunk."   
  
"Why?" Ron asked.  
  
"To smell his robes of course!" Hermione hissed a little louder than planned. The librarian looked over at them with raised eyebrows and put a finger to her mouth and said, "SHHHH!" Hermione nodded and grabbed the book.  
  
"That's just wrong, Hermione." Ron said and shook his head.   
"Well, Ron, you can stay behind if you don't want to know what Harry has been keeping from us." Hermione said.  
  
"Okay, fine! I'll come!" Ron said. "What do you think it is Hermione?"   
  
"I have a theory. But if I'm right, I don't see why Harry would keep it from us. It's not that bad. It's an honor."  
  
"What's a honor?" Ron asked thickly.  
  
"Think about it Ron, Malfoy called him Merlin boy." Hermione said.  
  
"What, you think Harry is Merlin's heir or something?" Ron said and laughed.  
  
"Exactly." Hermione said. Ron shut up. "I think there's a painting of Merlin somewhere around here."   
  
They decided that they would rather look for the painting than go through Harry's trunk at the moment so they put the book back and took off down the halls, searching for the painting. They had no idea what good it would do, but it was something to do, so they spent the rest of the day combing the castle.   
  
"Ron! I think I found it!" Hermione suddenly cried from the other end of the hall. "Come here! Quick!" Ron walked over to her and gazed at the painting.  
  
"Oh my god..." Was all he could manage to say.  
  
  
Harry stood up and stretched his stiff legs as the train slowed to a stop. He grabbed his duffel bag and left platform nine and three quarters with no trouble at all. He walked out of the station into the cool, crisp December air. He found a line of taxis and opened the door.  
  
"Where to?" Grunted the driver. Harry got himself situated before he answered.  
  
"Little Whinging. Number four Privet Drive." He said coldly.  
  
"Ah, the suburbs." The driver said knowledgeably. "Why aren't you with your parents?"  
  
"I'm visiting for the winter holidays." Harry said.  
  
"What school do you go to?" Asked the driver. He pulled away from the curb and they got on the interstate leading to Little Whinging.   
  
"Eton," Harry lied quickly.   
  
"Oh, you're a smart one, then," The driver smiled at the nervous look on Harry's face.  
  
"You could say that." Harry said sarcastically. The driver laughed and slapped a hand down on the steering wheel, accidentally pressing the horn. Many of the other cars rolled down their window and made rude signs at them with their fingers. Harry was a bit startled.   
  
"Here we are, four Privet Drive." The driver said an hour later as they drove up the street. "That'll be twenty pounds. I'm taking money off your bill, because you were entertaining."   
  
"Oh- thanks!" Harry said and handed the man the money Professor McGonagall had given him. He shut the door with a snap and walked slowly up the driveway, feeling worse with every step. When he reached the front door he considered running for it. He told himself, that would be dumb, Voldemort could get him even quicker that way. He knocked three times on the door.  
  
"Who is it?" Came Aunt Petunia's screechy voice from inside.   
  
"Me." Harry said flatly. The door snapped open. Aunt Petunia stood in the doorway, glaring at him.  
  
"Why are you here?" She asked waspishly. Harry wanted dearly to say 'like I had a choice,' but was quite hungry and didn't want to be starved for the next two weeks.   
  
"I thought you worked that out with Hog- my school." Harry said innocently.  
  
"Those people said you would explain." She said. Harry thought for a minute or two.  
  
"I'm safer here." He said finally.  
  
"Why do you need to be safe?" Aunt Petunia huffed. Harry was a little shocked to hear her say that. In fact he was a little surprised that this conversation was happening at all, usually they tried to avoid Harry at all costs.   
  
"Because." Harry said, not wanting to get into the matter with her.  
  
"Because what young man? I will not tolerate being talked to in this manner." Aunt Petunia snapped. Harry had another urge to say, 'well, then don't talk to me' but refrained from doing so.   
  
"Because, Aunt Petunia," He spat out her name like a swear word, " I need to be safe so I'm not murdered." Aunt Petunia smiled so wickedly that Harry winced. He really was going to die.   
  
"Get your things upstairs, and don't come down. I don't want you to spoil Dudley's homecoming." He eyes clouded up slightly and she sniffed. Harry walked up to his room and collapsed on his bed, perfectly miserable. His room was cold and drafty, and the bare white walls annoyed him.   
  
"Dudley!" Aunt Petunia cried from downstairs. "Oh! Dudley! Mummy has missed you so much! Look how much my baby has grown!" Harry laughed. He wondered if she meant taller or wider. Harry amused himself, wondering if it was possible for Dudley to get any wider. No, he decided after a minute, it's physically impossible. A series of loud thumps told Harry Dudley was coming up stairs. His door slammed open and Dudley stood there, looking absolutely horrible in his Smeltings uniform. It was stretched across his chest and the buttons looked as if they had been sewn on over ten times. He was still holding his knobbly Smeltings stick firm in his right hand.  
  
"Come back for the holidays, have you?" He asked Harry. His voice had changed; it was very low now.  
  
"Yes, I have." Harry said keeping his cool.  
  
"You didn't get kicked out of that freak school of yours?" He asked, looking deeply put out.  
  
"No."  
  
"Piers Polkiss is coming over today. We could have fun." Dudley said with an evil grin. Harry knew 'having fun' would be getting beaten up. Harry smiled sarcastically.  
  
"You and Piers can have fun together." Harry said. "And anyway, you can't hurt me now."  
  
"Oh can't I?" Dudley said and pounded a fat fist into a porky hand.  
  
"I can use magic over the breaks, Dudley. If I wanted to, I could curse you right now." Harry smiled just as wickedly at Dudley, who recoiled.   
  
"C-c- curse?" He squeaked.   
  
"Yes, Dudley, curse." Harry said wickedly. "And if you gave me a reason to, dont think that I wont." Dudley let out a little whimper and ran out of Harry's room. Harry smiled despite himself.   
  
  
  
  
"Look at this picture!" Hermione hissed. She pointed again at the large portrait of Merlin Ambrosious. "Will you just look at it?" Ron was completely lost for words. The painting was of a handsome wizard in his later twenties. He had messy, jet-black hair and a great smile. His eyes were black too, but they were very friendly and warm.  
  
"It's like looking at Harry with black eyes and contacts." Ron said. "And minus one lightning bolt sign."  
  
"No kidding." Hermione said. They weren't even looking at each other. They were to busy looking at this magnificent painting. "Ron do you know what this means?"  
  
"Harry is Merlin's heir?" Ron said.  
  
"Not only that, Harry is royalty." Hermione said, reading the plaque under the portrait.  
  
"Royalty?" Ron said, confused.  
  
"Yeah, listen to this. 'Merlin Emry Ambrosious, the son of the great King Ambrosious and the Queen Ninian was the first Wizard known to our world. His symbol is fire, which he could draw out of the air without a wand.'"  
  
"This is way to much. Harry, our friend Harry Potter, is not only the most famous kid in our world; he is Merlin's heir, and royalty? No way."   
  
"Well I can understand why he wouldn't except this. He hates being famous, but it seems he was destined to be famous, lightning scar or not." Hermione said awed. "Now, all that's left is how we tell him we know."  
  
"Nicely! Oh god, nicely! He could set us on fire!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Harry doesn't seem like the type to set anybody on fire, Ron." Hermione said with a dismissive hand. "But you're right. Nobody likes it when people snoop on their personal lives."  
  
"Oh but I want to scare him!" Ron said. "Well, not scare him, startle him bad at least. You know call him -Emry instead of Harry. It would be really funny." Hermione laughed.  
  
"That is so horrible Ron! I love it. Get him back for lying to us." She said.  
  
"But Hermione, he didn't lie to us." Ron pointed out. Hermione's smile faded a bit.  
  
"I just realized how horrible we've been to him. Think what he must be going through. You find out that you are even more famous than you want to be, you're a prince, and then your friends desert you! I feel so horrible!"  
  
"I think we should just do one more 'bad' friend thing before we call it quits." Ron said slowly.  
  
"Like what?" Hermione asked and tore her eyes away from the painting.  
  
"See what he's keeping in that trunk of his." Ron said and winced.  
  
"I'm sure it's only school supplies and the invisibility cloak." Hermione said. "I don't think we really need to anymore. We know what he's up to."  
  
"Well I'm just curious, because sometimes at night when I can't fall asleep I'll be looking around the room you know." Ron said. Hermione nodded slowly. "And I can see his silhouette in his bed and he's reading some huge book, or at least I think it's a book. It's been driving me crazy. I don't want to ask him, because I'm guessing it's embarrassing."  
  
"That certainly does sound strange." Hermione said thoughtfully. "I'll never forgive myself." Ron smiled sweetly at her and they walked up to the boy's dormitories. When they crossed the room they went to the foot of his bed and popped open his trunk. All they could see on the top was his cauldron, some boxer shorts, the nasty socks from Uncle Vernon, and a few books on Quidditch.   
  
"What did I tell you? All school things and clothes." Hermione said and started shutting the trunk.  
  
"Wait! I think I see it!" Ron hissed and lifted the lid again. He pulled out the thick leather bound photo album of Harry's. He pulled it out and set it on the foot of the bed. " I wonder what's in here, potion recipes maybe, a book on hexes. I bet that's it. A book on hexes. He seems to really like those..." He flipped it open and looked at the first page of pictures. "I was wrong. Who are these people?" Hermione looked over Ron's shoulder and at the pictures.  
  
"Oh my god Ron, it's his parents." She said. "He wouldn't want us looking at this. Let's put it away now." Ron went white and shut the album. As he picked it up again to put it in its place a picture frame fell out. Hermione picked it up and examined it.   
  
"Wow, look at this picture, Ron. It's Harry as a baby." Hermione said and handed it to him. He looked at the picture, and frowned.  
  
"He looks a lot different." He said and handed it back to Hermione.  
  
"He could have been so happy." She said and wiped a single tear from her eye. "Ron we are horrible, horrible friends. We don't deserve Harry. He's to good for us."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure he's done something horrible to us that we don't know about." Ron said with a shrug. Hermione had a sudden urge to slap Ron, but figured slapping your crush was definitely not a turn on. So instead she replaced the frame to its normal place and shut Harry's trunk.  
  
"Prince Harry Potter. His Royal Highness, Harry Potter, King Potter, King Harry. Urgh, no I hate them all." Ron was saying as they made their way down the stairs back into the common room.  
  
"Ron its not like he's going to get a title like that and take over the U.K." Hermione said and chortled at the mental picture she had of Harry in a long furry red cloak and a golden crown.  
  
"I guess you're right, but it's strange, you know? Our best friend is royalty." Ron said.  
  
"Well it's been so many generations since Merlin was alive, I doubt Harry would even be considered more than a Lord today."  
  
"Hey! It's better than you'll ever do!" Ron snapped defending Harry's so-called title.   
  
"Okay Ron, calm down. Well now that we know what he's up to, what are we supposed to do for the rest of the break?" Hermione said.  
  
  
  
Harry was positively miserable. He had spent the last six days cooped up in his room, avoiding Piers (who was coming over daily) and Dudley, who were always looking for a fight with him. Dudley was still terrified of Harry, although he hadnt been to scared yesterday when he had socked Harry in the stomach. Of course Harry had been off his guard.   
  
Harry sat on his bed and pulled out his charms homework. He was supposed to learn and master a charm or curse of his choice. Harry was looking forward to this assignment; he loved finding out new spells. He was leafing through his book when a particular charm caught his eye. The Hair-On- End curse. Below was a picture of a man with all of his hair sticking strait up, including his mustache. Harry laughed as he pictured Uncle Vernon with his hair sticking up.  
  
Harry chose this curse to learn for Flitwick's class; it might come in handy as a practical joke someday. He grabbed his wand and a shoe, which he transfigured into a baby doll.  
  
"Shocfer," He mumbled, so the Dursley's wouldn't hear. He hadnt mentioned that he could do magic over the holidays, and he rather liked having his arms in tact. The baby doll's hair rose on end and stayed standing until Harry mumbled the counter curse.   
  
Pleased with himself, he transfigured the doll back into a shoe and was about to put his wand away, when he had a sudden idea. He went over to his mirror and mumbled the counter curse again and tapped his own hair. The pieces that were sticking strait up fell back onto his head and some of the sideways locks flattened themselves to. He smiled broadly, this was cool. He patted his hair and smiled even wider when it didn't spring back up into its normal state. He liked his hair much better like this.   
  
He repacked his wand after he was done marveling at his hair and opened the door to his room, wanting to see if the Dursley's would notice. The door hit something hard and heavy as it swung open and there were two loud 'oofs' from behind it. Harry slipped out the door and saw Dudley and Piers sprawled out on the floor. Harry didn't trust himself enough to open his mouth; he would have laughed way to hard. Dudley and Piers stood up and looked at Harry with menacing eyes. Harry realized suddenly that he was cornered at the end of the hall. His stomach sunk.  
  
"Get him!" Dudley cried. Harry went down as piers tackled him. He didn't even fight back, it wouldn't have done much good, he was to skinny to do much harm to Piers, who was a tall boy who was strongly built. Punch after punch Harry took, with out even letting out more than a cry of pain, but he nearly did when Dudley himself punched Harry as hard as he could in the eye and then again in the cheek.  
  
They finally stopped when they realized Harry was tougher than he looked and wasn't going to cry, let alone scream in pain. Harry staggered back into his room, his nose bleeding badly, his glasses broken on the bridge and with two large bruises on his cheek and eye. He was sure he would have more on his stomach, arms, and back. He used his feeble first aid charms he had learned in his fourth year to stop the stabbing pain in his side and ankle and the bleeding in his nose. He then went into the bathroom where he washed his face. Now he took the two pieces of his glasses and glued them back together with his wand. He put them on and looked at himself in the mirror. He had a black eye. He had a sudden idea to light Dudley's thick blonde hair on fire, but then remembered Dumbledore's harsh warning about no harming anybody with the power of fire.   
  
Harry sat at his desk and pulled out a roll of parchment. He couldn't stay here anymore.   
  
PProfessor Dumbledore,  
I know you say that I am safer with the Dursley's but I am willing to bet you're wrong. The Dursleys are barely feeding me and frankly I can't stand it. To make my point clearer, my cousin who weighs over three hundred pounds and his best friend has just beaten me up. Please, get me out of here. Please let me get out of here! It's almost child abuse the way I'm getting treated here. Please let me leave! /p  
  
P Sincerely, /P  
PHarry Potter /P  
  
  
  
Harry folded up this note and went over to the window to Hedwig, who had come for a visit yesterday. She stuck her leg out and Harry tied the letter on it.  
  
"Get there as fast as you can," He whispered to her and opened the window. She flew quickly out the window and was soon out of sight. Harry limped over to his bed and collapsed on it. He tried as hard as he could to ignore the pain in his left ankle. Harry suspected he had twisted it when he was trying to get away from Dudley.   
  
  
  
"Hey, Hermione! Isn't that Hedwig?" Ron asked as a snowy owl came plummeting towards the castle. Hermione looked skyward.  
  
"Yeah! I wonder if Harry's writing to us!" She said enthusiastically. The bird disappeared into the owlry. "I guess I was aiming to high."  
  
"Wonder who the letter's for?" Ron asked.  
  
"Cho," Hermione grunted. "I'm guessing it would be Cho, she is his girlfriend and all." Ron nodded slowly.  
  
"Yeah that is true. Dumbledore, maybe? Harry and Dumbledore have always acted like friends more than a Professor and a student." He added.  
  
"Well she was flying awfully fast. Must be something urgent." She said. They decided to walk back into the castle to see if they could find Dumbledore or Cho. They didn't have to look far. Cho was talking to Dumbledore in the entrance hall. Hedwig was resting on Dumbledore's shoulder.  
  
"Miss Chang, would you do me a favor?" Dumbledore asked her.   
  
"Sure, as long as it has nothing to do with cleaning." She said. Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"It's not even close to cleaning. Mr. Potter will be coming back on the train tomorrow morning. I would like you to help up to the castle." Cho nodded, but looked confused.   
  
"Why does Harry need helping?" She asked. Dumbledore looked around and saw Hermione and Ron in the corner of the corridor. He gave Harry's letter to her. She read it in silence.  
  
"Of course I'll go meet him!" She said, sounding a little choked up.  
  
"Good. His train will be arriving at the Hogsmeade station at eight o'clock in the morning. He'll be glad to see you I'm sure." Cho nodded and departed. Hermione and Ron caught up with Cho.  
  
"Why is Harry coming back?" Ron asked her. She looked at Ron.  
  
"The Dursley's have been- how did he say in the letter- abusing him. He wants to come back here where he is more - ah- comfortable." She nodded to both of them and went to the Ravenclaw common room.  
  
"What do you suppose Harry meant by abused. You don't think they were starving him again?" Hermione said. Ron shrugged.   
  
"How should we know?" He said. "Why don't we go see? We could walk down to Hogsmeade tomorrow morning and walk back up with him and Cho. Oh, I just realized he's going to have to sleep in that train. He probably won't want to see us after a sleep like that."   
  
The next morning at seven thirty Hermione and Ron left the castle and headed towards Hogsmeade. According to Cho, Harry had been wired some money to get to the station, and got to leave on the train at nine o'clock at night.   
  
The scarlet steam engine hissed into the station at eight o'clock, right on time. Only one of the compartment doors opened and only one person stepped off the train.   
  
As Harry limped off the train Hermione noticed he had a black eye and another bruise on his cheek looked horribly like a hand. He almost looked skinnier, too, if that was possible. Cho ran over to him and hugged him. He stiffened up and said loudly,"Ouch! Not there!" And pried her hands off his waist.  
  
"What happened to you Harry?" Cho asked with an edge of fear in her voice. Harry smiled at her. It lighted up his face nicely. Hermione and Ron hadn't seen him smile in a long time.  
  
"Don't worry Cho, I'm fine." He said reassuringly. Harry looked around to make sure nobody was watching and saw Hermione and Ron. His gaze hardened instantly. "I'll tell you what happened later, when we're alone." He said alone a little louder so he was sure that his 'friends' had heard. Cho put an arm around Harry's shoulder and helped him limp in the direction of the castle. Ron and Hermione looked at each other.  
  
"Ouch, whatever happened to him had to hurt." Ron said, looking at the backs of Harry and Cho.  
  
"No kidding." Hermione said. They started walking back to the castle.   
  
  
Cho left Harry at the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey made him take off his shirt do she could tend to those 'awful bruises.' Shivering, Harry took off his cloak, robes and shirt. She started murmuring things Harry couldn't hear and poking his scratches and bruises with her wand. Harry winced in pain every time her wand touched his skin.  
  
When she was done harry quickly dressed again and looked at himself in the mirror. His bruises were all gone. He sighed in relief. He couldn't even imagine walking around school with a bruise shaped like a hand on his cheek. Much to Harry's delight, his hair was still lying flat on his head. He took a deep breath and walked out of the hospital wing, his step devoid of the limp. He suddenly became aware that Hermione and Ron were walking side by side with him.  
  
"Um- can I help you?" Harry said slowly. Ron opened his mouth to answer but Hermione elbowed him hard and all that came out of his mouth was a grunt.   
  
"Harry, there's no point to keep it from us anymore." Hermione said very matter-of-factly. Harry raised an eyebrow. "We know."  



	6. The Picture Of Temptation

"What do you know?" Harry asked innocently. Hermione smiled sweetly at him.  
  
"We know that you are Merlin's heir, Harry." She said in a sugary voice. Harry went white, but he regained composure quickly.  
  
"Caught on, have you Hermione?" He asked. "I really expected that you would have figured out the second day of school." Hermione's smile faltered a little.  
  
"Aren't you going to ask us how we did it?" Ron asked. Harry turned to Ron and gave him a cold gaze, on the brink of a glare.  
  
"No, thank you. I'd rather not know." Harry said shortly.  
  
"Tough cookies, we're going to tell you anyways." Ron said and yanked him into a seat when they reached the common room. "Hermione and I put all the clues you've been dropping us, together, and we figured it out."  
  
"And then we found a picture of Merlin on the fifth floor. You have a striking resemblance." Hermione said lightly. Harry went red.   
  
"And then I suppose you went digging in my trunk for more clues, am I right?" Harry snapped. Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then nodded very slowly.  
  
"We're so sorry-" Hermione began but Harry cut her off.  
  
"Well thank you guys, for snooping around in my personal life!" He said with bitter sarcasm in his voice. "You have just made my day. God! I can't believe you two!" And with that said he stormed up the stairs. Fury coursed through his veins. He needed to vent his anger. Something needed to burn.   
  
Harry looked around the dorm room for something he could set on fire. His eyes fell on a half-written letter he had been writing to Cho before he left. Burn you stupid letter. Burn you pathetic note! He thought to himself and the paper blew up in flames and smoldering remains of paper flew across the room. He inhaled the smoke and coughed. He put the fire out and swept up the remains of the letter.   
  
"Harry! What are you doing?" Came Hermione's voice from the doorway as Harry blew up an old letter he had received from Cho.  
  
"I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count." Harry said without breaking his concentration. He extinguished the small fire. He summoned another letter into the air and started burning it from the upper left-hand corner all the way down to the bottom right hand corner until all that was left was a sheet of ash. It crumpled and fell into a pile on the floor.  
  
"That's wrong, Harry." Hermione said.  
  
"What's wrong?" Harry said coldly as a clean piece of parchment burst into flames. "I see nothing wrong with burning my own property."   
  
"Even so, why don't you just take your anger out on us?" She asked and looked at him with searching eyes.  
  
"You want me to light you on fire?" Harry asked with half a grin. Hermione blushed.  
  
"No, that's not what I meant. I meant why don't you just talk to us for a change?" She said. Harry extinguished the fire and sent the little pile of ashes into the trash can. Harry gave up and collapsed on his bed.  
  
"I give up. Whatever I don't tell you you'll most likely find out in two months. What do you want to know?" He said and sighed. Ron, who had been silent this whole time, was the first to ask a question.  
  
"Why did you come back from the Dursley's just now?" He asked. Harry's face contorted into a very menacing cold expression.  
  
"Dudley attacked me and so did his friend Piers Polkiss. My odds were definitely against me on that fight." He said with bitter hatred in his voice. "So I went down hard."  
  
"Ouch." Was all Hermione said.   
  
"What did that snake- Nagini did you call her, tell you?" Ron asked.  
  
"Oh nothing to special." Harry held up a hand and started ticking off his main points of the conversation with the snake. "That I was going to die. That I was 'the heir.' That I needed to practice my 'talent.' That they were going to use my power against me. You know, the usual." Hermione and Ron were shocked that Harry could say all of this and keep his cool. "Anything else?"  
  
"Do you forgive us?" Hermione asked. Harry looked away for a moment, thinking hard.  
  
"I suppose." He said finally. Hermione wiped the tears that had been gathering under her eyes away and gave Harry a hug.  
  
"We missed you so much." She said quietly.   
  
"I should hope so!" Harry said loudly and Hermione laughed in between a sob. "Hermione, it's all right. I'm your friend. Everything is back to normal. You don't need to cry." Hermione pulled away from Harry and dried off her face. She looked at Harry for a second with a confused expression.  
  
"One more thing Harry." She said. Harry looked up at her.   
  
"Yeah?" He asked.  
  
"Your hair looks really good like that." She said and they all laughed. Hermione linked arms with her two best friends and they walked down the stairs to lunch.   
  
  
  
Harry was much happier with his friends all around him. The Christmas holidays were as fun as ever. On Christmas Eve Harry, Hermione and Ron stayed up late drinking mugs of hot chocolate, talking mostly about the new defense teacher.  
  
"Could she be any more boring?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione shook their heads.  
  
"And to top it off she has a monotone voice and she talks slow to!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Well you don't have to worry about not hearing her. I swear she must have been born with the sonorous charm built in." Hermione said. Professor Tool, the new teacher was nobody's favorite. She didn't seem to have a drop of personality. Harry yawned.  
  
"We'd better get to sleep. Santa won't come if we wait up for him." Harry said putting on a childish voice. Hermione half laughed and gave them both hugs before walking up to her room. Harry and Ron slowly meandered up to the dorms to, yawning loudly. They fell asleep quickly.   
  
Harry found himself once again in a dream about his murder.   
  
  
"My lord, how exactly are you going to kill Harry Potter?" The greasy voice of Severus Snape said from a masked face.   
  
"Severus, I thought you learned not to ask questions." Voldemort said with a grin. A few of the Death Eaters laughed wickedly and clapped their hands together. Snape kind of shook and Voldemort smiled wider. "Oh no, you shall not be punished this time. But next time you might not be so lucky.  
  
"I will not kill Harry in our first encounter this year-if all goes according to my plan. No, no. The best and might I add funniest way to kill a person is to wear them down first. Not physically, but emotionally. The poor boy will be so traumatized when I appear again that he will die for sure. Severus, a great deal of this has to do with you."  
  
"With me, my lord? What could I possibly do to-" Snape started to say, but Voldemort held up a hand to silence him.  
  
"You will need to set up this-" He showed Snape something that Harry couldn't see. "Make sure Dumbledore knows nothing of this. Put a memory charm on him if you have to. Plus it won't kill the boy. Just weaken him. Just weaken him."  
  
  
  
Somebody shook Harry by the shoulders. "Hey! Harry! Wake up!" somebody called to Harry, who was still half-asleep. Harry grumbled something about letting people sleep in the morning and rolled over. The curtains around his bed opened and somebody threw a pillow at him. "We don't want to wait for you anymore!" It was Hermione. Harry sat up, grabbed his glasses and put them on. The room slid into focus and Harry saw Ron looking longingly at his large pile of presents, and Hermione at hers.  
  
"Oh just start without me." Harry said and flopped back down into a lying position and thought about the dream he had just had. He was going to see Voldemort. This year. Soon! Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead. His scar hurt quite a bit, but Harry was getting used to this by now. Hermione grabbed Harry by the collar of his pajamas and yanked him up.  
  
"Common Harry its Christmas! Cheer up! Open your presents!" She said and thumped him hard on the back.  
  
"Yeah Harry," Ron added. "I wanna open my presents!"   
  
"Okay, okay, let's get started." Harry said and lifted his six presents on to the bed. Harry froze. Six presents? He counted them again. There was one from Sirius, Hermione, Ron, Cho and Hagrid and then there was another extra present. It was a thin package that only had Harry's name on it. Curious, Harry tore it open.   
  
A necklace fell out of the opening, a silver necklace with a thin chain and a small charm on it. The charm attached to it was also silver, shaped like a sword with a single vine wrapping around it. Harry held it up to the light. It was a very pretty necklace indeed. Harry was about to slip it over his head when he suddenly wondered if it was dangerous. Something told him it wasn't and he slipped it on. The cold silver against his skin made him shiver.  
  
"What did you get?" Hermione asked. She herself was unwrapping a large box.  
  
" A really cool necklace." Harry said.   
  
"From who?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged.  
  
"No idea." He said. Hermione frowned but didn't say anything. "What did you get Hermione?" Hermione grinned from ear to ear and held up a pair of black vinyl flare jeans. Harry nodded.  
  
"What is that?" Ron asked Hermione looking disgusted. Hermione glared at him.  
  
"It's called style, Ron. Have you ever heard of it?" She snapped. Ron went red and quickly shoved the maroon sweater he had received from his mother under his bed.   
  
"What did you have to kill to get it?" Ron asked quietly, but she heard and threw the empty box at him. Harry half smiled and turned to the rest of his presents. He supposed everybody had run out of ideas, because all he received this year was candy. Hagrid, however, had given Harry a pair of thick wool mittens in a grayish brown color. Harry put them in his trunk and watched his two best friends tear off wrapping paper for the next twenty minutes.  
  
"Harry let me see the necklace you got." Hermione said after she threw away all of her wrapping paper. Harry pulled the necklace out from under his pajamas. Hermione walked over to him and looked at it.  
  
"You're right Harry. That is an awesome necklace. I wonder who gave it to you," she said, frowning.   
  
"Its not cursed Hermione. If it were I would have already hit the floor. It's been nearly an hour since I put it on." Harry pointed out. Hermione glared at him.  
  
"You, Harry Potter, are not as concerned about strange gifts as I am. It'll be you're end I swear." She said. Harry glared back at her.  
  
"Well that is very reassuring, Hermione. ' Cheer up, Harry! Open your presents!'" Harry said putting on a high pitched voice. Hermione socked him in the stomach.  
  
"You are a nerd." She said plainly. Harry laughed.  
  
"But I'm also a nerd that can set you on fire." He said. Hermione and Ron both laughed at this but looked rather nervous. "Not that I would ever do that." Harry added hastily.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Okay students, who would like to show the rest of the class the charm they prepared over the holidays?" Professor Flitwick piped up a week later during Charms class. Hermione shot her hand into the air, but she was the only one. "I'm sorry Miss Granger, but let's give somebody else a chance to go first this time. Let's see. Nobody wants to show me? Well I guess I'll have to pick who gets to - Mr. Malfoy can we help you?"   
  
Draco Malfoy had just entered the room looking dangerous. "No, Professor. I am just here because McGonagall sent me in here. She claimed she didn't want to deal with me right now."  
  
"Professor McGonagall." Flitwick corrected. "Okay you may stay here, just don't disrupt my class to. Who shall go first? Let me see let me see. Mr. Longbottom!"   
  
Neville got shakily to his feet and walked up to the front of the class. He pulled a little clay person out of his pocket and set it on Professor Flitwick's desk. He mumbled something and poked his wand at the piece of clay. It started tap dancing on the desk in a strait line and eventually fell of the other side. Everybody laughed and clapped as Neville picked it up off the floor and walked back to his seat.  
  
"That was great, Neville!" Harry said and smiled at Neville, who was trembling.  
  
"Th-th- thanks Harry." He said.  
  
"Mr. Potter!" Flitwick squeaked from his desk. Harry took a deep breath and walked coolly to the front of the room.  
  
"I um need a volunteer." Harry said. Hermione raised her hand immediately, but Harry didn't want to call on her. He expected she wouldn't want her hair standing on end.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy! Come up here and assist Harry!" Flitwick called to Draco. Malfoy stood up and walked up to the front of the class, glaring at Flitwick. Harry couldn't control a smile. This was going to be excellent.   
  
"Here goes nothing." Harry said quietly and pointed his wand at Malfoy. "Shocfer." Malfoy's platinum blonde hair stood up on end. He looked like a blonde porcupine. The class hesitated for a moment and then burst out laughing. Professor Flitwick fell off his pile of books he was laughing so hard.  
  
"What? What happened? Potter! What did you do to me?" Malfoy demanded, but Harry didn't hear him, he was laughing so much his ribs hurt and his eyes were watering. Ron had fallen off his chair. Harry regained composure and mumbled the counter curse and walked briskly up to his seat. Professor Flitwick stood up again and cleared his throat loudly. The class slowly stopped laughing and looked up at Professor Flitwick.  
  
"That was excellent Potter. Full marks." He said and laughed.   
  
"Thanks for not picking me, Harry!" Hermione muttered out of the corner of her mouth. Harry nodded.   
  
Charms was easily the best class now. Not only did Harry get to talk with his friends; there was always a good laugh involved. Malfoy was also getting constantly made fun of. Even the people in his own house had heard the story and had laughed at him. The only people that didn't find it funny was Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy Parkinson.   
  
  
  
The only thing that worried Harry now was the dream he had over the holidays. He didn't trust Snape at all now, and made that clear to him. Harry sat in the potion class glaring at him the entire time. (Just like Sirius.) One Friday a month later Snape kept Harry after class. Hermione and Ron told him they would be waiting for him at the door. Harry walked up to Snape's desk and glared at him.  
  
"Potter, I need to tell you some things."  
  
"I know already." Harry snapped. "You are going to set up something in the school. It won't kill me, if all goes according to Voldemort's plan but it will wear me down 'not physically, but emotionally.'" Harry quoted Voldemort. Snape's jaw had dropped, but he quickly snapped it shut again.  
  
"Precisely. I am not even sure what he is planning for." Snape said. Harry seriously doubted this. "So all I can say is do not go into the third floor corridor on the left. Do not go down there, no matter how tempting it is. You got that Potter?"  
  
"Yes Professor. You have no idea what it is?" Harry asked.  
  
"No idea. I think it has to do with a picture, but that doesn't make any sense. You are dismissed." Snape said thoughtfully. Harry walked slowly out of the dungeon and head towards lunch with his friends.  
  
"What did he want?" Ron asked fearfully.  
  
"He needed to tell me some stuff." Harry said.  
  
"And that stuff would be-?" Hermione asked. Harry glared at her.  
  
"I was getting to that." He snapped. "He told me that I'm not to go into the third floor corridor on the left."  
  
"Why?" Ron said. Harry shrugged.  
  
"No idea. Say, wasn't that the corridor that was out of bounds in our first year?" Harry asked suddenly.  
  
"Yeah." Hermione said. Harry sighed.  
  
"Voldemort must have a thing for that corridor." Harry said. Hermione gasped.  
  
"This has to do with Voldemort?" She said.  
  
"It always does." Harry said calmly. He didn't know how he did sometimes. He was constantly nervous about Voldemort, but he never looked it. They sat down at the Gryffindor table and started eating.  
  
"What do you think it is?" Hermione said fearfully.  
  
"I asked. Snape doesn't know either. He thought it might have something to do with a picture, but he seemed doubtful." Harry said. Hermione looked up at him, looking confused. She downed the rest of her chicken noodle soup and stood up.  
  
"I'll be in the library." She called behind to them as she walked briskly out of the room.   
  
"She probably has read every book in the library, what does she need to look up?" Ron said and rolled his eyes.  
  
"I have no idea." Harry said and shook his head.   
  
  
"That is a common reoccurrence with you lately, Harry." Ron said. Harry laughed and punched his shoulder. Ron's elbow landed in the dregs of Hermione's soup.   
  
"Do you want to take this outside, shorty?" He asked. Harry balled his hands into fists and thumped his chest with them a couple of times.  
  
"Bring it on!" He said. They dissolved into laughter and left for the common room.   
  
"Thank god it's Friday. We get the rest of the day off!" Ron exclaimed as they climbed the stairs. They passed the third floor corridor on the left side and stopped. The smell of baking cookies flooded Harry's nostrils.  
  
"Yum. Do you smell that?" Harry asked Ron. Ron stared at him as if he were crazy.  
  
"Uh- no. Harry are you feeling all right?" He asked.  
  
"Never better. Let's go se what it is, shall we?" Harry asked and put a foot down the corridor. He was about to take another step but Ron grabbed his arm and yanked him back.  
  
"No you don't. You aren't supposed to go down that corridor. Who knows what's down there." Ron said and yanked him up the stairs.   
  
"Party pooper." Harry said. "I bet there isn't anything down there. It's probably just Snape trying to scare me."   
  
"Harry! Listen to yourself!" Ron said.  
  
"I am. I just said, 'party pooper. I bet there isn't anything down th-'" Ron slapped Harry.  
  
"Snap out of it!" He said. Harry blinked and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"Thanks. I needed that." He said.   
  
"Any time." Ron said with a slight grin. "Would you like me to slap you again?" He raised his hand into the air.   
  
"No, thanks." Harry said quickly.   
  
  
  
Harry wanted to know what was down that corridor. Every time he passed it, it made him more and more curious. The smell of baking cookies. Laughter. Even a shriek. Every time he passed it, a good reason to see what was down that hall. Ron and Hermione made a point to be around him every time they passed it so he wouldn't go down it.   
  
"Harry, what is with you?" Hermione said as she yanked Harry away from the corridor for the seventh time that day.  
  
"I just want to see what's down there." Harry said and struggled out of her grip on his arm.  
  
"No you don't!" Hermione said and pulled him up the stairs. "Do you want to get yourself killed?"   
  
"Of course not! But it's so tempting to see what's down there!" Harry moaned.  
  
"There isn't anything down there!" She said.   
  
"So why can't I go?" Harry said.   
  
"That's not what I meant, and you know it. There is nothing down there that you want to see. I've got a bad feeling about it." She said.  
  
"It can't be that bad Hermione! Come on! Let me just go down-" Hermione had grabbed his arm again and was yanking him up the stairs while Harry tried to go the other direction. Hermione dug her nails into his arm and threw all of her strength into pulling Harry up the stairs. He was skinny, but that didn't mean he wasn't strong. They started slowly moving up the stairs. Harry gave up and walked along with her.  
  
"That's it Harry." She said. Harry crossed his arms and glared at her.  
  
"You suck. You never want to have any fun ever." He said. Hermione glared back at him.  
  
"Excuse me for not wanting you to die." She said.   
  
"But somebody was crying! Didn't you hear it?" Harry said desperately. Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No, I didn't. It's an illusion, Harry. It's a trap. Don't go down there!" She pleaded.   
  
"But- but what if the person was hurt and nobody goes to get her? What if she dies? Then it'll be all your fault that we didn't go down that hall to save her." Harry stopped climbing. Hermione stopped to.  
  
"Harry, you are losing your mind. There was nobody down the hall. Nobody. Snap out of it!" She said.   
  
"How do you know that?" Harry asked and narrowed his eyes at her. Hermione slapped Harry. "Ouch! That really hurt!" Hermione noticed that the air around Harry's left hand was smoking in a strange sphere shape.   
  
"Harry don't you even think about fire!" Hermione cried. Harry shuddered suddenly. The smoke disappeared.   
  
"Oh my god, Hermione, I am so sorry!" He said. "I don't know what came over me!" Hermione sighed and hugged him.  
  
"I'm just glad you stopped acting like that. It scares me when you do stuff like that." She said and pulled away from the hug.   
  
"I don't know what happened. I just start saying and doing things without even thinking. It scares me to. But I want to know what's down there that's doing this to me. It's hard even now not to run down there and walk down that hall." Harry said and shook his head.  
  
"Well then let's get you out of here before you do that." Hermione said and they walked up one more flight of stairs to the common room, all the while Harry heard a girl crying her eyes out in the third floor corridor.   
  
  
  
"He's getting worse." Hermione was telling Ron later that night when Harry was out a Quidditch practice.   
  
"Worse?" Ron said bewildered. "How could he be any worse?"  
  
"I dragged him away from the hall today, and a fireball started to form in his hand." Hermione said.  
  
"Are you serious?" Ron said. Hermione nodded solemnly. "Isn't there some way we can avoid that corridor?"   
  
"I checked up on that when we got back this afternoon. There isn't anyway to avoid it. Now we know why they set up that- whatever it is there." Hermione said and sighed. "And what gets me is how not worried Harry is about it." Ron nodded.  
  
"I know. It's like death threats are something he gets everyday." Ron said.  
  
"Uh- Ron, Harry does get a death threat like everyday. I think he just doesn't think anything or anyone can hurt him." Hermione said.   
  
The portrait hole burst open and Amelia and Sirius appeared, fighting Harry who was trying to run away. Amelia was clutching Harry's arm and Sirius was tugging on the hem of Harry's robes.  
  
"Harry come on! There is nothing down there!" Amelia was saying harshly. Harry snapped his head around so he could see her.  
  
"I swear I heard him! If you would just let me go down there, I could prove it to you." Harry said. He sounded very anxious, but sad. "Let me go!" Ron and Hermione looked at each other.   
  
"Harry, whatever you heard isn't really there! Remember, it's all an illusion!" Hermione called to Harry who was still putting up a good fight against Sirius and Amelia.   
  
" It was real, Hermione! I swear it was real! It was not an illusion!"  
  
"What happened?" Hermione asked Amelia.  
  
"We were walking past the third floor corridor on the left hand side and Harry said that he heard something."  
  
"What did you hear Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry suddenly stopped fighting Amelia and Sirius.  
  
"I'd rather not talk about it, thanks." He said and walked heavily up to his room. Panting, Amelia and Sirius walked over to where Ron was sitting. Hermione sat down with them.  
  
"I know that Harry isn't allowed to go down that corridor, and I know it most likely has something to do with Voldemort. What do you guys know?" Amelia said and folded her arms in a business like manner. Ron and Hermione looked at each other again.  
  
"You're right. It has something to do with Voldemort. All we know is that he cant go down there, because Snape told him not to. Ever since the place has been bewitched to lure him down there. It's a trap. Harry knows about it, but he looses control of himself when he's around there." Hermione said. Amelia nodded.  
  
"I thought it had to be something like that." Amelia said."That bastard. " She pounded a fist into the chair she was in.  
  
"What did he hear? He's already told us somebody screaming and a girl crying." Ron asked. Amelia looked sorrowfully at the pair of them.  
  
"He heard his dad." Amelia said.  
  
"That's just sick." Hermione said and shook her head. "That is just sick." Ron was lost for words.  
  
"Well I'm going to bed now. Ron you might want to also, I really wouldn't be leaving Harry alone when he's like that." Amelia said and headed up the stairs, Hermione followed. Ron to headed up the stairs and into his dorm. The first thing he noticed was Harry's silhouette hunched over the large photo album.   
  
Harry heard Ron's head hit a pillow. The coast was clear now; he could leave without anybody noticing. He smiled to himself slightly. Harry opened the hangings around his bed as silently as he could and walked out of the room, still fully dressed. Ron grunted in his sleep as Harry shut the door. Harry froze and didn't move until he was sure that Ron had fallen asleep again. He tiptoed down the halls of the sleeping school, heading for the left-hand corridor on the third floor.  
  
Ron opened his eyes. He looked around for the bump that had woken him. The door to the room was slightly ajar. He supposed Neville had gone for a drink of water. Ron's eyes darted over to Neville's bed. He was still asleep. So were Seamus and Dean. Ron hesitated for a moment knowing what he was about to see as his eyes moved over to Harry's bed. It was empty. Ron jumped out of bed and ran quickly into Hermione's dorm room. He shook her awake.  
  
"He's gone, Hermione! I fell asleep for ten minutes and I wake up and he's gone!" He hissed to her.  
  
"Who's gone, Ron? What are you talking about?" Hermione said groggily. Ron shook her some more.  
  
"Harry! We've got to go save him!" Ron said. Hermione stared for a moment and then jumped out of bed. She was wearing a tank top and some short boxer shorts. Her toenails were painted red. Ron forgot what he was doing in her room for a moment.   
  
"Come on!" Hermione said and grabbed his hand and they ran out of the common room in search of Harry. Hermione led Ron through a few passageways he had never seen before.  
  
"Where are we going?" Ron asked as she yanked him through a tapestry.  
  
"It's a short cut to the third floor. Look, there he is!" Hermione whispered as Harry came into view. He was jogging to the third floor.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione called, but Harry didn't even turn to see who had beckoned to him.   
  
"Cho is that you?" He whispered loudly down the corridor. Hermione shook her head and they started walking towards Harry.  
  
"Harry, help me! I twisted my ankle, and I can't get up!" Hermione and Ron heard Cho's voice this time drifting through the corridor. It sounded like Cho, but something was wrong with the tone of her voice. Something was very wrong.  
  
"I'll be there in a second, Cho. Don't worry!" Harry called to her. He reached the beginning of the hall, hesitated and then put a foot down.  
  
"Harry don't do it! It's a trap!" Hermione cried and started running as fast as she could towards him, but it was too late. Harry had entered the trap. At once a wall of black fire sprang up from nowhere, blocking off the entrance. Hermione stopped running and Ron collided into her back. A cold high pitched laugh echoed through the halls.  
  
"Ron, we need to find Dumbledore. Now." Hermione said breathlessly and they ran up the halls to find him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry saw the flames jump up behind him and his heart skipped a beat. He looked around the hall. Cho was not there. There was nothing that looked the least bit suspicious there except perhaps a little container that looked like a makeup compact that was lying in the middle of the hall. Harry walked over to it and was going to bend down to get a better look at it when it started shaking violently and opened on its own. Suddenly a man stood before Harry. Or was it a man? The man was transparent. The man was Voldemort.   
  
Voldemort stood there, his red eyes gleaming and with his flat nose and spindly hands. He laughed wickedly. Harry's scar however did not burst into pain. This couldn't be the real Voldemort. It was a magical hologram. It had to be.  
  
"Well, hello Harry. How nice of you to join me finally." He said smoothly. Harry ground his teeth together.  
  
"What're you doing here, Voldemort?" He said, trying to keep his cool. "Come to try and kill me again?" Voldemort laughed his horrible laugh.  
  
"Far from it, my dear boy. Far from it." He said. He spat out the word 'dear' like it was poison. "I'm a bit surprised you held out as long as you did. Almost a week, and with all of my telepathic messages I was giving you. But I knew you'd come if your girlfriend were in trouble. And I was right."  
  
"What're you doing here, Voldemort?" Harry repeated. His hand was clutching his wand tightly just incase he did anything.  
  
"Simply to offer you something." Voldemort said and grinned evilly. Harry narrowed his eyes.   
  
"And what would that be?" Harry asked. Voldemort's grin widened.  
  
"This." He said and pulled out a picture Harry recognized as the photo of him and his mother and father.  
  
"Where did you get that?" Harry snarled. "Give it back!"   
  
"I had a death eater do me a favor. He fetched this picture of your- ah parents." Voldemort laughed again and looked at the picture. "Your mother. She was beautiful, was she not? To bad she had to die. Rather stupid of her." Harry chose not to say anything. The picture looked solid even if the rest of Voldemort didn't. Harry didn't want to try anything until he knew what was going on. "This Harry is a picture of temptation. Only one of its kind, too. I want to fight you on even ground Harry. I am not in good health, and you are. That is hardly a fair fight. I want to fight you when I'm good and healthy. If you touch this it will transport you back fourteen years ago, to the week before your parents so foolishly, died. You can have a chance to fight me and if you win Harry, you'll have a life with parents."  
  
A life with parents. Harry went over this silently in his mind. A life without the Dursleys, a life without Dudley, a life with parents. It was all he had ever wanted. But if he didn't beat Voldemort, he would most likely die.   
  
Harry had to make a decision; he couldn't just run for it. He was trapped. In front of him was Voldemort, and he didn't know what powers his hologram possessed and behind him was a wall of flames. Wait a second, I can deal with flames, Harry thought to himself. He turned his head to look at the flames. Go out you stupid, pointless fire. You're blocking my escape route, you dumb wall. The flames went out for three seconds but then jumped back up again. Voldemort laughed.  
  
"Stupid boy, I made sure the fire was bewitched to always be jumping while you are in the corridor, stupid, stupid boy. Have you made you're decision yet? Do you want to go back in time and save your parents or do you want to stay here and be miserable the rest of your life knowing what you could have done? What will it be Harry? A simple yes or no will do just fine."  
  
Half of Harry's mind was screaming NO! The other half was screaming YES! He went numb for a moment weighing his options. He could have parents, real parents. Not the Dursleys.   
  
"No- I mean yes." Harry said quietly. Voldemort laughed.  
  
"Good boy, very good boy. Now all you have to do is touch this picture and you'll be off." Voldemort said. Hermione's words echoed in Harry's mind. Don't do it Harry! It's a trap!   
  
Harry ignored the words and walked over to the hologram of Voldemort. Voldemort put the picture on the floor. Harry grabbed it by the silver frame and looked at it. The baby Harry looked so happy. Harry wanted to be that happy again.  
  
He touched his forefinger to the picture. There was a snap, and Harry Potter vanished from the hallway. The picture fell to the ground and the glass shattered. The firewall went out. Voldemort lingered for ten seconds, and then he disappeared also. The compact on the floor shut.  
  
Harry was spinning around like a top as blurry colors flashed all around him. He held on to his glasses so they wouldn't fall off. He felt like he was moving backwards very fast. The spinning stopped and Harry stumbled and fell in a patch of soft grass. He looked around him. A small cottage was directly in front of him and a pleasant wood was behind him. Harry realized where he was. He was in Godric's Hollow. The picture had worked.   
  
  
  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, Harry! You-know-who! Third floor corridor on the left!" Hermione panted when they finally found Dumbledore. He looked very sleepy for a moment but then snapped out of it. They ran down the halls again and skidded to a stop in front of the hall. It was empty.  
  
"He's gone!" Ron said. He walked to the end of the hall and bent over the picture and glass shards. "I wonder how this got here-" He bent down to pick the picture up.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Dumbledore cried and walked briskly over to Ron. He drew out his wand and muttered 'reparo' and the picture, glass and the frame suck back together, good as new. Dumbledore picked up the picture by the silver frame and shook his head sadly. "Why did you do it Harry? Why?"  
  
"What did Harry do?" Ron asked. "Where did Harry go?" Dumbledore didn't answer Ron's question and bent down and picked up the container that looked like a powder compact. He stared at it for a moment.  
  
"I should have known." He said quietly. He then looked at Hermione. "Miss Granger, could you go get Miss Chang from the Ravenclaw dorms? I know you know the password." Hermione nodded and took off down the hall. "Mr. Weasley, if you would follow me to my office, I will explain what is going on here."   
  
"Yes sir," Ron said and followed Professor Dumbledore to his office where they found Cho and Hermione waiting for them. Ron took a seat next to Hermione and looked up at Dumbledore.   
  
"Now you three are the closest to Harry, and so you deserve the truth. Do you see these items?" Dumbledore pointed to the compact and the picture. They all nodded. "One of them is illegal, the other isn't. Can you guess which one?"  
  
"The compact?" Cho guessed. Dumbledore shook his head.  
  
"No, the picture is." He said.  
  
"Why?" Ron asked.  
  
"I'll tell you Ron. This isn't an ordinary picture anymore. This has been changed into a picture of temptation. A picture of temptation is like a portkey in many ways, except the picture of temptation transports you back in time instead of transporting you to another country or town or wherever." Dumbledore explained.  
  
"Excuse me Professor, but what is the other thing?" Hermione asked, pointing to the compact.   
  
"This is a recorder of a sort. This one is much different than the others I've seen. This one can have a holographic conversation and record the whole thing at the same time. Do you understand?" Cho, Hermione and Ron all shook their heads, no. Dumbledore sighed. "Well I was going to watch this alone, but you may see what happened to, I suppose." He took the compact in his hands and opened it.   
  
A hologram of Harry sprang out of it and so did one of Voldemort. All three teenagers screamed and hid behind their chairs. When they realized that this was just a recording of what happened, they took their seats again and watched fearfully.  
  
"What're you doing here Voldemort?" Harry said, keeping his cool. Hermione was amazed at how Harry was talking this calmly to Voldemort. She would have fainted if she were in his position. "Come to try to kill me again?" Voldemort smiled wickedly. Hermione shuddered as she watched this recording. Cho was crying. Ron had a death grip on the arms of his chair and Hermione just watched in stunned silence. Harry kept his cool the entire time. Once he looked behind him and stared right at her, but his eyes went strait through her. The fire in Dumbledore's room went out. Hermione supposed Harry had tried to put out the fire to get away. Dumbledore lit it again and everybody went back to watching the 'show.' Harry disappeared and a few seconds later Voldemort did to. Dumbledore took the compact and shut it. He sat back down at his desk and folded his arms on it.  
  
"Now the question is, who should go get him." He said. All three of the students looked at each other.   
  
"I- I'll do it." Cho said and wiped the tears from her eyes. Hermione and Ron were shocked. Cho had always seemed a bit cowardly to them, very smart, but not assertive at all. "I- I'm his girlfriend. H- he'll listen t-to me." Hermione and Ron nodded reluctantly. Dumbledore smiled at the crying girl.  
  
"That is good of you Cho. Cheer up, Harry will be okay, if you follow my instructions." Dumbledore said. Cho did not in anyway cheer up. "Cho, you will need to take this picture of temptation and touch the surface of the picture. Only I need you to have it with you when you arrive at Godric's Hollow, so you can touch it and come back here. Cho you will put the picture in your robes. You will end up in the third floor corridor if I am correct." Cho nodded and reached for the picture but Dumbledore shook his head. "Not tonight, it is to late. We'll give Harry a little while to be alone."   
  



	7. To Godric's Hollow and Back

Harry looked at the cottage in front of him. It was small, but cozy. It wasn't nighttime here. It was a fairly nice day outside, chilly but with blue skies and fluffy clouds. It was hard to believe that the wizarding world was in distress when Harry looked at the little cottage.   
  
The door opened and a woman walked out. Harry hid himself behind a tree in the nearby forest. His mother heard the rustle and looked fearfully around to see what had caused it, but saw nothing. Harry watched her play with the baby for a long time. She bounced him on her knee and kissed him on his nose. James Potter came out a while later, and lay down in the grass next to his wife and took Harry in his hands. He held the baby up in the air with one hand and pulled out his wand with the other. His father mumbled something and a little green dusty poof came out and held the baby in mid-air. The baby giggled wildly.  
  
"James! Be careful with Harry!" Lily scolded, but smiled at her infant son.   
  
"I'm being careful!" James insisted. Lily glared at him.  
  
"I swear! I live with two children!" She exclaimed. James laughed and looked at his wife.  
  
"Lily dear, we only have one kid, Harry, remember?" He said. Lily rolled her eyes and looked heavenward.   
  
Harry averted his eyes from his parents and looked into the forest. His parents were exactly as he had imagined them. Caring, but with a sense of humor. They lay there on their lawn, happy to the last day. Harry repeated these words quietly to himself.  
  
"Happy to the last day."  
  
James and Lily were gone when Harry looked back at the cottage. He could see his father's silhouette in the kitchen window, cooking, and his mother's reading the paper. He couldn't see himself, but Harry hardly cared about that. The smell of baking bread came wafting out the half open window. Harry's stomach rumbled. How was he going to have food? His stomach rumbled again.  
  
Harry turned from the house and headed into the woods. He walked around for a while looking for something that looked edible. After a while he found a bush with some type of berry on it. He picked one and examined it carefully. It looked harmless enough. He popped it in his mouth.   
  
It didn't taste all that bad. It was kind of like a mix between a raisin and a strawberry, sweet with a little pang of bitter. He had a few more and decided that was enough. He could conjure some water if he got thirsty later on. He didn't have to worry about making a fire, that could be done without any trouble.   
  
The sun set and the night became colder. The kitchen light was turned off in the cottage and another was turned on at the side of the house. Harry situated himself so he could see anything that might be happening. His mother was putting the baby to sleep now. She set the infant Harry in his crib and rocked it back and forward, singing a lullaby.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hush now my baby,  
Be still love don't cry.  
Close your eyes  
As I rock you to sleep.  
Sleep and remember  
This sweet lullaby  
And I'll be with you   
While you dream.  
And I'll be with you  
While you dream."  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry blinked furiously to get the tingling feeling beneath his eyes to go away. A single tear dripped down his cheek. He walked back into the forest and found a place to curl up for the night. He had horrible dreams that night.  
  
  
  
  
He was walking through the cottage and came in on the scene that Harry had had nightmares about before. His father's dead, limp body sprawled out on the floor, his wand in his hand. Voldemort was smiling wickedly in the corner of the baby's room, as Harry's mother was trying to keep composure and protect Harry all at the same time.   
  
"No! Not Harry! Please, spare him! Please!" She cried, blocking the crib with only herself. Her wand lay on the floor on the other side of the room.  
  
"Stand aside you stupid girl," Voldemort said forcefully.  
  
"Not Harry! Please! Not Harry! He's only a child!"  
  
"Stand aside!"  
  
"No!" Lily Potter screamed in between raspy sobs. "No! I won't let you harm him!"   
  
"Stand aside, you stupid girl! Save yourself! Stand aside!" Voldemort yelled.  
  
"Take me instead!" She cried and straitened herself up and spread her arms strait out to the sides.  
  
"Fine! Have it your way." Voldemort said, wearing a bemused smile. "Avada Kedavra!" He pointed his wand at his mother and there was a green flash. The body of Lily was thrown right through the window of baby Harry's room. The infant started to cry loudly. Nobody came to comfort him. He cried louder. Voldemort laughed and rounded on the baby boy.  
  
"This job is as good as done." He mumbled to the little infant. "Sweet dreams, Potter. Avada Kedavra!" He said almost lazily. A flash of green light, and Voldemort's screams of pain echoed through the silent neighborhood of Godric's Hollow. Everything was silent now, except for the baby's loud crying. The house caught fire and the baby started crying even louder.   
  
Harry was now standing outside the burning house. Even out here Harry could here himself crying from inside. A low rumbling sound was coming from the sky. Harry looked up and saw a large flying motorcycle coming down from the sky. It landed and Sirius Black jumped off of it and ran towards the burning house.  
  
"NO!" He yelled when he saw Lily's dead body sprawled out on the grass. He collapsed onto the ground and dissolved into tears. "Why? Why? Why?" He said and hit the ground with a fist. The baby started howling now. He was being neglected and it was really hot in his room. Sirius lifted his tearstained face off the ground and listened to the baby's racking sobs. He jumped through the broken window and returned holding Harry in his arms. The baby stopped crying. Sirius put Harry down on the ground and jumped through the window again, this time heaving out the dead and partially burned body of James Potter. He let the remains of Voldemort burn down with the rest of the house. The massive form of Hagrid had appeared out of nowhere it seemed and was now holding Harry.   
  
"Hagrid! Where are you going with him?" Sirius asked, running after him.  
  
"Dumbledore." Was all Hagrid said.  
  
"Hagrid, can't I have Harry? He's my godson, I should get him, shouldn't I?" Sirius pleaded. Harry had a large cut in the middle of his forehead that Sirius hadnt noticed before. It was shaped like a lightning bolt.   
  
"I'm sorry Sirius, but I have orders from Dumbledore." Hagrid said and swelled up with pride, but he to had tears leaking out of his beetle black eyes. He started to walk into the forest.  
  
"Hagrid! Take my motorcycle. I won't be needing it anymore." Sirius said. Hagrid spun around.  
  
"Thank you. I'll return it to you, no need ter worry." Hagrid said and forced a smile.   
  
"Good luck Hagrid." Sirius said as Hagrid revved up the engine of the bike. It rose (with some difficulty) into the sky and disappeared into the night. Sirius cast one last sad look at the bodies of James and Lily Potter drew his wand out and then he to disappeared.   
  
  
  
Harry rolled over in his sleep. He had another strange dream, although this might have been caused by sleeping on the ground and having and up rooted root sticking in his side.  
  
  
  
He dreamed he was in a large room, filled with people crying. Hermione stood at the front of the room at a podium and Cho and Ron were crying in the first row of benches. The dream Harry walked over to them and tried to comfort them, but they didn't seem to here him or even see him. Harry noticed that directly behind Hermione was a large wooden chest. A coffin. Harry suddenly wondered who had died that had meant that much to all of these people.  
  
Harry woke up in a cold sweat and he didn't know why. He looked around for what had disturbed him besides the root but couldn't find anything. He saw in the moonlight a large spider walking towards his parents' house. Harry, without hesitation, stepped on it. He shuddered, hoping that the spider hadnt crawled on him.  
  
Dawn was starting to creep over the housetops of Godric's Hollow now, making it look like a picture in a storybook. It was rather cold outside, but Harry didn't mind too much. People were moving around in his house. He could see his dad's thin outline in the kitchen window, stretching and yawning and he saw his mother go to wake the baby up. She came back, holding the sleeping bundle against her shoulder.  
  
"He woke up crying last night James." Lily told her husband. "It was your turn to check on him, but I ended up doing it." James looked up at her.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry hon. I didn't mean to. I was just really, really tired." James said and yawned. Lily put her free hand on her hip. "I love you!" James added hastily and Lily cracked up.   
  
"I love you to," She said and put the baby down in the high chair. Harry sighed and decided to take a walk in the woods. It was still freezing outside so he figured some jogging might warm him up. He was just about to start running into the forest when there was a loud pop from behind him. Harry spun around to see what had happened, startled.  
  
A very short girl with black hair was walking up the path to his parents' house. Harry's stomach sank. It was Cho. She rapped on the door a couple of times. Harry quickly hid himself behind a tree as the door opened slowly.   
  
"Can we help you dear?" Harry's mother asked. She had her little boy resting on her shoulder, and he was trying to get away from her to see who the visitor was.   
  
Cho took a deep breath before she answered. "Yes, I hope you can. Have you seen a teenage boy about yae high"- she pointed about five inches above her head- "with black hair, green eyes and glasses? He's my brother and we can find him." Cho was an amazing actress. Harry's mom thought for a moment.  
  
"No, I'm sorry," She said. Cho burst out crying. "What's wrong?"  
  
"We- we just miss him at home." She sobbed. Lily put a free hand on Cho's shoulder. "What's his name so if we see him, we can give a message?"   
  
"H-Harry, and my name is Cho." Cho said. Mrs. Potter nodded to show she understood. "Thank you." Cho walked away when she closed the door again and headed into the forest. She walked past Harry without noticing.  
  
"Funny seeing you here." Harry said flatly. Cho jumped and whipped around to face him.   
  
"Harry!" She said breathlessly. She ran over to him and gave him a hug that Harry did not return. "Oh thank god you're safe."  
  
"Why did you come here Cho?" Harry asked. Cho released him from her strong hug.  
  
"To take you home." She said timidly, as if Harry was going to slap her. Harry did not slap her; he only gave her the look of death.  
  
"No. I'm not going home. I came here for a reason, and I'm not leaving until I've done what I came here to do." Harry said coldly. Cho looked desperate.  
  
"Harry, you have to come home! You can't face You-know-who alone! He's way too strong, I mean you can pull it off in the present maybe, but he has full power now! You wouldn't stand a chance." Cho said. They were walking now.  
  
"Cho, I'm not going to die. Voldemort even said so. You just go home now and I'll see you in a week or something." Harry snapped.  
  
"Harry, you believe him? You think You-know-who would actually pass up a perfect chance to kill you, like this? You think he actually was going to give you a week to figure out how to kill him? Why would he give you the chance to kill him, when only just got his body back?" Cho said. Harry stopped walking abruptly.  
  
  
"That's the problem with everybody at home. Everybody so concerned about my decisions and me. It's my life! Let me spend it how I want to!" Harry cried and threw his hands up in the air. Cho stopped walking to.   
  
"Is it wrong that we don't want you to die?" Cho asked.  
  
"No, that's all fine and peachy, but I'm not going to die now. I'm not going to die for a long time, so I wish everybody would mind their own business." Harry scoffed. Cho looked at Harry, shocked.   
  
"Harry! You don't get it do you? Your parents are going to die tonight! He-who-must-not-be-named tricked you again!" Cho cried. Harry looked away from her.  
  
"How do you know all of this?" He asked.   
  
"Dumbledore told me a bunch of stuff before I left Hogwarts, Harry." Cho said. "Including you being Merlin's heir." Harry sighed.  
  
"It figures, but I'm not leaving. There is nothing you can do to stop me." Harry said.  
  
"I could curse you." Cho pointed out. Harry raised his eyebrows at her.  
  
"And I can block it." Harry said.  
  
"Not if I take your wand!" Cho snapped and made a grab for Harry's pocket. Harry stepped nimbly out of her reach.  
  
"I could also set your hair on fire, but I don't think it'll get that far." Harry said.  
  
"I should hope not!" Cho exclaimed. "Harry, as your girlfriend, you really should listen to me. Let's get away from here while we still have time." Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"Cho, as my girlfriend, you should listen to me. Get out of here. I can handle this on my own." Harry said.  
  
"How will you get back without the picture of temptation?" Cho asked and put a hand on her hip.  
  
"Because you'll leave it here with me. I'll come back when I'm done here. Go." Harry said forcefully. Cho shook her head.  
  
"No can do, Harry. You see I promised Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore that I would bring you back. I can't leave unless you come with. What do you say?" Cho said.  
  
"No." Harry said flatly and began to walk away. Cho followed him reluctantly.   
  
"Where are we going?" She asked after an hour of silence.  
  
"I am going on a walk. You are following me." Harry snapped. Cho grumbled something under her breath. "Something you'd like to tell me?"   
  
"I just said that you were being stupid." Cho said bitterly. Harry glared at her.  
  
"Don't say things when you don't know what you're talking about Cho. It's a bad habit and will get you nowhere in life." Was all Harry said. Cho looked offended and they talked no more. They reached a little stream in the heart of the forest and sat down. Harry and Cho ate in silence, listening to the rushing water. It was quite peaceful actually.  
  
A little while later Harry stood up and walked at a quicker place back towards his parents' house. Cho was jogging to keep up with him. She was concerned. Harry never had ever acted like this to her before. It was unnerving.   
  
"Harry, you don't really want to stay for this, do you?" Cho asked once the house was in view again.  
  
"I'm not here to watch, Cho." Harry said.   
  
"Harry, what will happen if you don't succeed in killing Voldemort?" Cho asked.  
  
"I'll most likely die." Harry said. Cho grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it.  
  
"Harry. Let's go." She said gently. Harry looked away from her.  
  
"I-I cant." Harry said.  
  
"Why not?" Cho said.   
  
"They're- they're right-there." Harry choked out. Cho let go of his hand and hugged him instead. Harry hugged her back.  
  
"Harry, what happened- happened. You shouldn't mess with time like that." Cho said and stroked his crazy hair. "You would lose. You would die."  
  
"But- but couldn't I just- just warn them or something?" Harry whimpered. Cho hugged him tighter and shook her head against his chest.  
  
  
"No, Harry. No you can't. That would be messing with time. You can't do it." She said. Harry broke the hug and slumped down against the tree.  
  
"But Cho- they're going to - they're going to die!" Harry sobbed his head in his hands. Cho looked away from him, to give Harry a sense of dignity. Cho felt sorry for him. He looked so small and sad crying on the ground for his soon to be dead parents. Cho couldn't help treating him like a very fragile glass doll, if he dropped he would shatter. It was sad, but true. Cho dropped to her knees next him and put her hand on his.   
  
"Harry let's go home." She said. Harry shook his head.  
  
"Not yet. Give me ten more minutes." Harry said. He looked up, but he wasn't looking at Cho, he was looking past her at his parents who were outside again, playing with the baby. Cho's eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away. She had to be strong. Harry was going to want to stay here forever, but that couldn't happen. Cho formed a plan in her mind.   
  
She leaned forward and hugged Harry with one arm. With her free hand she grabbed the picture of temptation. She touched it with her thumb and they disappeared from Godric's hollow. James and Lily didn't even notice. Neither did Harry.  
  
After a rush of colors, Harry and Cho were suddenly in the third floor corridor on the left. Harry broke their tight hug and looked around him.  
  
"We're back. You tricked me." Harry said and wiped the tears from his eyes. He was shaking, not with anger, but with grief. His cheeks were tearstained and his eyes were red and puffy from crying. He stood up straitened himself up and walked down the hall, the click of his boots echoing behind him.   
  
  
  
~~~  
  
  
  
Harry walked into the common room. Hermione jerked awake as the portrait hole closed. She looked up and saw Harry making his way across the room. He looked terrible. He looked like he'd been- crying. Hermione stood up.  
  
"Harry?" She asked hesitantly. Harry jumped and looked over at her. He had been crying. His cheeks were tearstained. Her heart melted for him. He looked away from her and headed into the boy's shower room. Hermione shook Ron awake.  
  
"Whassamatter?" Ron asked and yawned.   
  
"Harry's back." Hermione said. Ron was awake now.  
  
"Really? Where is he?" Ron asked.  
  
"He just headed into the showers. It's a good thing, he looked terrible." Hermione said.  
  
"What happened? Was he bleeding? Limping? Missing a limb?" Ron asked urgently.  
  
"Nothing that extreme. Looked like he was crying." Hermione said sadly. Ron looked shocked.  
  
"Harry, our friend, Harry Potter- crying? I don't think so. Guys don't cry." Ron said.  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure." Hermione said. Harry walked out of the showers, looking much cleaner, but miserable. He jogged up the stairs.  
  
"I think I'll go to bed now." Ron said casually, but Hermione sensed what was going on.  
  
  
"Don you even dare ask him what happened! I don't think we have to ask him to figure it out." Hermione said forcefully.  
  
"Okay, okay!" Ron said. "Goodnight Hermione."  
  
"Goodnight Ron." Hermione said and she too went up to her dorm. The first thing Ron noticed was Harry's silhouette hunched over his photo album. Harry reached up and wiped his eyes. Ron recoiled. Guys didn't cry. This wasn't right. And it was Harry who was crying! Harry was really brave, why would he be crying? Had he lost his touch? Ron fell asleep with un-askable questions in his mind.   
  
Harry carefully closed the album again and set it down in his trunk. Silent tears dripped down his cheek as Harry fell asleep.   
  
  
  
"Harry! Wake up! We have to go to school!" Somebody said and shook him. Harry opened one eye.  
  
"I don't want to go to school." Harry said.  
  
"Neither do we, but we aren't complaining!" Ron said.   
  
"That's the difference between you and me. I am complaining." Harry said and rolled over. "Tell them I'm sick. I'm not going."  
  
"Yes-you-are!" Hermione said. She was attempting to pull Harry out of his bed and was failing miserably. Harry was way too strong for her.   
  
"No, Miss Granger, he's not." A voice said from behind them. Hermione let go of Harry's arms and he rocketed back into his pillow. Dumbledore stood at the doorway of the dorm. He smiled at them all. "Harry deserves a day off, you understand don't you?" Hermione and Ron blushed and then nodded. "Enjoy your day off Harry." Dumbledore left the room in the swish of a cloak.  
  
"Yeah Harry. Have a nice day." Hermione said.   
  
"See you at lunch or something." Ron added. They walked out of the room. Harry rolled over and fell asleep.   
  
  
  
"Ron, what's wrong with Harry? Did he say anything to you last night?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Nope. I have no idea what's wrong with him. I did see him looking at that photo album though." Ron said.  
  
"Poor guy." Hermione said. Ron rolled his eyes; still unable to believe that Harry, of all people would cry.  
  
"I bet he's just putting us on." Ron said. Hermione scoffed.  
  
"You know what Ron? You need to accept that guys can cry. I bet you would cry to, if you had gone through what Harry has." She snapped. Ron looked mildly offended. Hermione secretly thought this made him cuter. She smiled at Ron. "But let's talk about something else."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
It seemed as if Harry would never carry on a conversation again. Try as Hermione and Ron may, Harry would only answer their questions in short sentences and a shake or nod of the head. He must have talked a lot to the team though; they had plowed Ravenclaw and Slytherin in Quidditch.   
  
The match against Ravenclaw had to be one of the strangest Hermione and Ron had ever seen. The two seekers showed off their best moves to each other the entire time. It had ended when Harry was trying to show off the speed on his Firebolt. He took his hands off the broom for more show and all of the sudden the Golden Snitch was in his hands. Cho wouldn't talk to Harry for a week after.   
  
  
It was one night a week later, that Harry had a very disturbing dream. He was once again in a room filled with death eaters. Voldemort was in the middle of the circle, talking to Snape.  
  
"Severus. How is Potter? Damaged? Sad?" He asked Snape urgently. Snape was smiling oddly.  
  
"Oh, my lord, even better, manic-depressive! He wont even barely speak to his friends!" Snape said. Voldemort grinned.  
  
"My plan has been more than successful, my friends." Voldemort now addressed the Death Eaters. They grinned wickedly and chuckled. "The day will soon be here. I will kill Harry Potter, and this time I will not fail. He won't know what hit him." And then Harry woke up in a cold sweat his scar searing with pain, his eyes clouding up. He had never heard Voldemort sound that menacing. It scared him.  
  
  
  
  
  
Hermione grabbed Harry's arm as he tried to sneak past them in the common room a couple of weeks after the dream and yanked him into a seat.  
  
"How was advanced D.A.D.A. today Harry?" Hermione asked kindly.  
  
"Uh- fine." Harry answered. He couldn't help feeling like he was being interviewed whenever he was around Cho, Hermione and Ron. "I think I'm going to find Cho. We need to have some words."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I think I'm going to brake up with her." Harry said thoughtfully. Hermione looked shocked. It was the most he'd said to them all week.   
  
"Why? You were such a cute couple!" Hermione said. Harry scoffed.  
  
"My point exactly. She isn't trustworthy, and she wont listen to anything sensible I say." Harry said. "I just can't stand it anymore. See you." He walked out of the common room.  
  
"That was almost a conversation," Ron said, his eyes wide.  
  
"No kidding." Hermione agreed. "Why is he breaking up with Cho? They were a really good couple. You saw the way they looked at each other at the beginning of this year. It was cute."   
  
"Yeah. What you said." Ron was not looking at Hermione; he was instead looking out the window, where Harry and Cho were walking. "Whoa- Hermione look at this." Hermione made her way over to Ron and looked out the window. It was like watching a muted soap opera. Cho and Harry sat down on the grass. Harry started talking and was moving his hands as he spoke to further describe his points. They stood up and hugged. When they broke the hug, Cho ran away crying. Harry looked up at the sky and shrugged. He started walking over to the lake. Hermione and Ron exchanged glances.  
  
"We'd better go see what he's up to." Hermione said, "We can't have him drowning himself in the lake." Ron nodded and they pulled on their cloaks and walked out side. Harry sat at the edge of the lake looking at the reflection of the moon on the lake. The sky was clouding up and was promising a good rain. Hermione pulled her cloak tighter around herself as they neared the lake. Harry looked up at them as they sat down next to him.  
  
"You must be freezing." Hermione said, looking at him in only his robes.   
  
"I hope it rains." Harry said in a far away voice.   
  
"You are crazy. It's below freezing out here! Let's go it before we get hypothermia." Hermione and Ron stood up and offered Harry a hand to help him up.  
  
"Yeah- it is really late," Ron added. Harry nodded and stood up.   
  
"I'm tired." He stretched his arms above his head and started walking towards the castle. Rain started patting softly down on them. Harry half grinned. They walked under the shelter of the outer trees in the Forbidden Forest so to protect their heads from the falling rain.   
  
A small pop came from somewhere behind them. Nobody took any care of this noise; it was probably just the snap of a broken branch one of them had trod on. Oh, how wrong they were.  
  
Harry fell to his knees. His scar burst out in a pain he had never felt before. A high, cold laugh echoed strangely into the inky blue night.   
  
  



	8. A Hero's Death

  
Harry, Hermione and Ron whipped around to see what it was though they already knew. It was Voldemort. He was incredibly tall in real life, with black hair, a flat snake-like nose and poisonous red eyes. An amused look on his face appeared when he saw how much pain Harry was in.  
  
"So Potter, we meet again," Voldemort said, a grin tugging at his mouth. Harry said nothing, he couldn't. The pain in his head was spreading and worsening. "Come Harry, speak to me. I don't bite." Harry found his voice.  
  
"Yes but you kill." Harry winced.  
  
"Manners Potter." Voldemort snapped. "I failed in teaching you them when we last had a duel."  
  
"I don't want to duel Voldemort."   
  
"Me neither." Voldemort said thoughtfully. Harry stood up shakily. Ron and Hermione were standing stiff as boards. Maybe they thought that if they didn't move, Voldemort wouldn't be able to see them, Harry never knew.   
  
"Why are you here then?" Harry asked slowly.  
  
"To get rid of you." Voldemort replied.  
  
"And does Snape know anything about your being here?" Harry asked.  
  
"No. I left all of my Death Eaters out of this. You seem to know all about our meetings already. I couldn't afford to let you hear this to."  
  
"How do you know I didn't know about this?" Harry asked. Voldemort laughed.  
  
"It would be impossible." Voldemort said wickedly. "Since I haven't told anybody, you couldn't have overseen the conversation in a dream."  
  
"How do you know I can't see the future then?" Harry asked.   
  
"Seriously boy! You're making a jackass of yourself! I came here to murder a wizard, not a toddler." Voldemort said and laughed at his cruel joke.  
  
"Oh very funny." Harry said sarcastically. "I knew it. I knew something was going to happen today."   
  
"How could you? You're bluffing. It's written all over your face." Voldemort said and chuckled again. A new spurt of pain came with every cackle of his cold laugh.   
  
"Call it a premonition." Harry said casually, somehow talking through the swearing pain in his forehead.  
  
"Liar." Hissed Voldemort.  
  
"I'm not lying." Harry said. Voldemort didn't seem to hear him.  
  
"You are just as worthless as you parents. Stupid, conceited people. They always had to be better than everybody else was. Your father was a disgrace to the Wizarding nations. Marring mud-blood scum like your mother."  
  
"Take that back." Harry hissed. Voldemort laughed again.  
  
"Your father would have been very good on our side. He was a very powerful wizard, not unlike you. But that would never do. You have stupidity in your blood, from your mother. She was very pretty and dumb. She died just for you. Little old you."  
  
"Voldemort, give me one good reason why I shouldn't burn you." Harry said wickedly. Voldemort smiled wider.  
  
"It's raining." Voldemort pointed out. Hermione squeaked something to Harry that sounded like 'not a good idea' but Harry ignored her.   
  
"Not good enough." Harry concentrated hard. Burn that horrible man. Burn him for my parents' sake, for my sake. Voldemort's hair burst into flames. Voldemort cursed and put it out. His hair was now half burned off, smoking and smelled something horrible. Harry would have found this very funny except the look on Voldemort's face was murder.  
  
"You'll pay for that Potter! Every inch of you body deserves to be in pain. You've caused more trouble to me than your sorry soul will ever know. I have every right to kill you, Potter, but not just yet. You deserve to be in pain, I'll say it again. You should die for my sake." Voldemort said   
  
"I should die! Ha! You are the one who should die. You're the one that screwed up everything for me! You killed my parents! You deserve to die Voldemort. You deserve to be ripped apart, limb from limb, slowly. Killed for all the people you have murdered, tortured. You, Voldemort, or should I say Tom, deserve to wallow in freakish misery." Harry didn't know what he was saying; it was just coming out. Voldemort laughed.  
  
"You could have been good Potter if you were on our side. But since you're not you will still be punished. Crucio!" He yelled and pointed his wand at Harry. Harry dodged it. Hermione and Ron screamed. "CRUCIO!" Harry didn't have time to dodge this one. He fell to the ground again in pain. His back arched up and he started shaking. Not a single peep left his mouth. He bit his lip so he wouldn't scream. His lip started to bleed.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione cried, shaking herself. Harry looked at her, his eyes tense with pain. She was crying uncontrollably and Ron was quivering to.  
  
"Not going to scream are you Harry?" Voldemort said, looking at Harry with the same amused smile. Harry shook his head. "CRUCIO! CRUCIO! CRUCIO!" The pain tripled. Harry couldn't control his screams of pain. Voldemort was laughing. The rain felt like acid burning into his skin. His legs felt like they were being broken in nineteen places. It felt like knives were stabbing him all over his body. His head was surely splitting along his scar.   
  
  
Voldemort lifted his wand from Harry. Harry collapsed on the ground panting.   
  
  
"Have you learned you lesson, Harry? Or should I demonstrate my point again?" Voldemort said. Harry didn't say anything. "Was that a yes? Oh good! I love doing this! Crucio!" Harry couldn't move. He wanted to, but he was shaking with the pain of the Cruciatus Curse.   
  
Voldemort lifted his nose to the air and sniffed it. "I smell a Mudblood and a Muggle-lover," Voldemort said. His gaze fell on Hermione and Ron. "Look! There they are! Oh my! I only came to do one murder, but I might leave with three. Potter, you are starting to come in very handy at times. Wherever you are there is a murder. In this case three. You, your Mudblood friend, and the Weasley kid. Yes, this should be good fun shouldn't it Harry?" Voldemort laughed wickedly and bent down until he was level with Harry. He took one of his long fingers and ran it down his cheek slowly to punish Harry more. Harry's scar hurt so much he was crying. Who should go first? Not Potter, he will see his friends die, as a punishment. I should punish the muggle-lover to. That leaves the Mudblood to go first, the Muggle-lover second and last and the least, Potter the pain in the ass." Voldemort laughed. Ron was looking more terrified than ever. Harry stood up shakily. Voldemort took no notice.   
  
It felt like Harry was seeing this all in slow motion. Voldemort turned to Hermione and said, "Goodbye Mudblood scum and good riddance!" Voldemort laughed again and said with force, "Avada Kedavra!" Harry felt as if he was seeing this all in slow motion. Hermione and Ron were screaming as Voldemort rounded on Hermione This couldn't happen, Hermione didn't deserve to die, Harry thought quickly. She had a great future ahead of her, he had to stop this.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Harry yelled and jumped in front blast of rushing green death. It was a pain Harry had never experienced before. It felt like his heart was being ripped out of his body. Images started flashing before him. He heard his mother's lullaby and saw his father and his mother waving at him. He saw Cho kissing him for the first time, Hermione and Ron smiling at him. He saw Hagrid barging through the door at the hut on the rock, he saw Dudley with a pigs tail and then Dudley again with a four-foot long tongue. Harry saw Mrs. Weasley and Professor Dumbledore. He saw Hermione's tear stained face and Ron's terrified white face. It was all gone in a flash of green light.   
  
The limp body of Harry Potter fell to ground spread-eagled. Voldemort laughed.  
  
"My work here is done. " He disapparated after another mirthless laugh. Hermione fell to the ground sobbing on Harry's body.  
  
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" She screamed trough her tears. "No!" She pounded a fist on his chest. Ron fell to the ground next to her and looked at the body of his best friend. Tears were now forming behind his eyes too.  
  
Harry had a strange expression on his face. It was not of surprise or shock like all the other Avada Kedavra murder victims, but it was almost amused. Like he knew something the others didn't. His eyes were wide open and glowing in the moonlight. Or was it really the moonlight that made them glow like that?   
  
"Hermione, he's gone." Ron said gently, tears running down his cheeks as well. Hermione stood up. Ron hugged her and their tears mingled.   
  
"He saved my life, Ron, and now he's dead. He's dead. HE'S DEAD!" She howled and started shaking more violently.   
  
Dumbledore and Sirius were running towards them. Dumbledore looked a mess. He kneeled down by Harry and examined him.  
  
"He's gone, Sirius." Dumbledore said sadly. Sirius transformed and shook Harry's limp body.  
  
"No! He's just faking it. Always knew he was a great actor. Common Harry! Snap-snap out of it!" Sirius sobbed. He shook him harder. "Harry! Wake up. Wake up. Wake up."  
  
"Sirius, it's to late, he's gone." Dumbledore said heavily, the sparkles in his eyes were gone. Dumbledore shut Harry's eyes. "We should bring him up to the hospital wing for the time being until the funeral is arranged. He can be buried here, by the forest. Mobilicorpus." The sad group walked back up the hill with Harry's body floating behind them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry Potter is dead. The story flew through the school and the press like a wild fire. The entire Wizarding world was in complete disarray. If Harry Potter was dead, then Voldemort truly had his power back. The darkness was being released.  
  
Harry's funeral was held the following week. They had him dressed in his bottle green dress robes and his wand was in his right hand, which was folded across his chest. The large photo album of his parents was tucked under his left arm. The coffin had a glass top so people could see him. A few bouquets of roses were inside the coffin as well.   
  
The funeral was held in the great hall on a Saturday and everybody was welcome. Thousands of people flocked to his funeral. Personal friends were let in first and then students and all others later. The entire Weasley family showed up, even Percy. So had Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, Professor Delacour, Krum, and even Rita Skeeter. The Dursleys had declined the invitation to the funeral immediately.   
  
When everybody was seated and it was as quiet as possible, Dumbledore stood up to address the sobbing school and guests.   
  
"Harry Potter's death is the reason we are gathered here today. He died a true hero's death. Harry Potter died to save his close friend, Hermione Granger." At this Hermione and Mrs. Weasley started crying harder. "Harry Potter will be honored for this noble deed. We have arranged a painting of him to be hung in the castle. Miss Granger, if you would like to say some words?"   
  
Hermione nodded, stood up, wiped her eyes and headed for the podium in front of Harry's coffin. She cast a look at him and the tears started flowing again.  
  
"When I remember Harry Potter, I remember strong, brave boy. I also remember a loyal friend with a pure heart. Harry Potter was one of the nicest people I have ever known. He was charming and funny and was always looking out for others. Harry was one of my best friends, and I miss him already. He is a loss in our society that will never be forgotten. May his soul rest in peace." Hermione walked away from the podium and collapsed on the bench in the front row next to Ron and sobbed into his chest the rest of the funeral. Many people got up to speak in behalf of Harry including Hagrid and Ron.   
  
When the funeral was done they floated his coffin outside and the crowd left the school grounds. The only people that stayed were Dumbledore, the Weasleys, Hagrid, Hermione and Sirius who transformed back into a man when they were out of sight. Dumbledore said a few more words and they let the coffin sink into the ground.   
  
Dirt was instantly added back to the ground and grass sprouted up from nowhere. A headstone also appeared out of nowhere bearing Harry's full name and the time of birth and death. A single rose was engraved on the head of the grave. The little group walked back through the snow sadly.  
  
Over the next three months new roses and other flowers kept being added to the monstrous pile on Harry's grave. You couldn't even tell that it was a grave there were so many flowers. Hermione and Ron visited the grave daily, and sometimes stood by it an entire day.  
  
Harry's presence was definitely not forgotten. Not only was his grave covered in flowers and toys, his old bed was too. Roses and teddy bears were overflowing off the bed. Hermione and Ron had the rights to all off his things, but they didn't have the hearts to go through it just yet, even three months later. It was just too hard.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everybody everywhere thought Harry was dead, but something strange was happening from inside the grave, inside the coffin.   



	9. Roses

Harry rolled over. He bumped his head on the edge of the glass coffin. His eyes flickered open.   
  
Where was he? It was all black around him. The air was stale. All of his limbs were stiff as if they hadnt been used in months. Why was his photo album with him? Questions raced through his mind.  
  
Harry realized his wand was in his hand. "Lumos." Harry said. His voice echoed eerily around him. His wand softly lit up the space around him. A glare came from the smooth surface above him and gave him a splitting headache. Harry looked at it closer. It was glass. Out side of the glass was- dirt! How odd. A thought suddenly struck him. Could he be buried alive? He had to have been. Roses surrounded him. How long had he been there? More importantly- how did he get out? Harry couldn't think of a single spell to get himself out of this one. There was only one choice. He was going to have to blow himself out of here.   
  
Blow a hole out of this. You stupid soil, leave! Blow up! Burst into flames! A large, silent upward burst of fire shot into the cool spring night. Harry popped open the glass top of his coffin. Fifteen feet above him was grass. Harry could deal with this one. He climbed up the singed dirt into the night. Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. That was strange.   
  
Harry grabbed his album and started walking towards the castle. Hopefully Ron or Hermione knew what was going on. Harry was struck with another sudden thought. Hermione and Ron were the only people who had access to his album. They were the ones who buried him alive! A new emotion coursed through Harry's body. Now he was mad and confused.   
  
Harry realized he was holding one of the bouquets of red roses. Harry smelled them. They were almost completely dry, but smelled fantastic. Harry had always liked roses. He had reached the castle. The doors were, thankfully, unlocked. Harry walked through the deserted castle. Yet another question struck him. Why was he in his dress robes? Harry jogged up the steps and found himself at the portrait of the fat lady.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Ron! Do you hear that?" Hermione asked, looking up from her Arithmancy homework.  
  
"Yeah. Sounds like somebody's picking a fight with the fat lady." Ron said listening to the noises out side.   
  
"I swear I'm a Gryffindor!" A boy said loudly from outside.  
  
"Why haven't I seen you for so long then?" The fat lady asked.  
  
"I don't know!" The boy said. Hermione and Ron looked at each other.  
  
"I'll bet its Malfoy trying to sneak in here." Ron whispered. Hermione nodded.  
  
"Either that or Neville forgot the password again." Hermione added. They broke into laughter.  
  
"Prove that you're a Gryffindor!" The fat lady screeched. There was silence for a moment.  
  
"See? Isn't that proof enough? Oh- no! Don't- don't faint!" There was a tremendous thud. The boy outside swore loudly and said, "This is just perfect!"   
  
"The voice sounds familiar. Let's go see who it was." Ron said. Hermione shook her head. "I bet it is Neville."   
  
"I have a really weird feeling about this." She said, but reluctantly followed him the entrance of the portrait hole. Ron pushed it open. A boy was standing there, his back to them. He was incredibly skinny and deathly pale with black hair and he was holding roses, a huge book and a wand.   
  
"Can we- help you?" Hermione asked meekly. The boy turned around. He looked very familiar. He was glaring at them.  
  
"You two must think you're really funny," He snarled. Hermione realized who it was. It was Harry. But Harry was dead! What was going on? Hermione and Ron gasped at the same time.  
  
"Ron am I seeing things? Do you see him there too?" Hermione hissed to Ron. Ron nodded. "This is necromancy! A-are you- are you- Harry's ghost?"  
  
"Okay you two drop the routine! It's getting really old. I give you full marks for creativity. How about next time you pull it on Malfoy." Harry (or his ghost) laughed bitterly. " You must think you are so funny. 'Ooh! Let's bury Harry alive so when he wakes up he wont know where he is and scare the living s* out of him! Sounds like fun!" Harry said sarcastically. Hermione had gone very white. She hopped down from the portrait hole so she was level with him.   
  
"He looks pretty pale." She said to Ron. Harry cursed again. "I've heard of bitter ghosts, or are you a shade? A ghoul? Or are you just a ghost?" The boy rolled his eyes.  
  
"Are ghosts solid, Hermione?" Harry asked.  
  
Hermione extended a hand and touched his face. "What-?" She said. Harry swatted her hand down.  
  
"Stop that!" He snapped.   
  
"Ghosts aren't solid." She touched Harry's face again.  
  
"Did you just now notice that, Hermione? Seriously you two! Maybe when I wake up tomorrow this will all go away like a bad dream."   
  
"Who are you?" Ron asked.   
  
"Harry! Who else am I? Do I need to prove this to you?" Harry brushed his bangs aside so they could see his scar. "There you go!"  
  
"How do we know that this isn't some sick joke Malfoy is pulling on us?" Hermione said slowly. "Polyjuice potion, or maybe he can reanimate corpses… Yes that must be it."  
  
  
"I am alive. Blood is running in my veins, has been for fifteen years. Drop the act. This joke isn't funny at all. Do you realize how much you two scared me? Imagine waking up in a pitch black- coffin." Harry shuddered. "I didn't know where I was and all of my personal belongings were with me. I'm in my dress robes for no apparent reason. Roses are all around me. So I light my wand, and what do I see? Nothing, besides a glass top and a bunch of dirt above me. Not funny you two. Not funny at all. I had to damage a bunch of school property to get out of there. Ha. Ha. Ha."   
  
"Ron- go get Dumbledore." Hermione hissed out of the corner of her mouth.   
  
"Yeah Ron, go get Dumbledore. Maybe he can clear this all up. Punishment." Harry hissed. Ron, looking terrified, jogged down the hall.   
  
"Okay, Malfoy or whoever you are, your going to get in major trouble for this."   
  
"The name's Harry thanks." Harry said. Hermione continued as if she hadnt heard him.  
  
"Not only is this the meanest joke I have ever heard of, you must have had to dig up Harry's body to get it to work. This is just sick. And I know it's you Malfoy. You are even bitter." Hermione added to the boy who she thought was Malfoy, who was at this time asleep in his bed as innocent as it was possible for him.  
  
"Hermione are you even listening to yourself? This is crazy and has gone on long enough. I just want to go to bed and possibly get some food." Harry said almost crying with exasperation. He made a move for the open portrait hole, but Hermione tripped him. Harry fell down on his face and made a loud oof.  
  
"Hush! You'll wake somebody up!" The fat lady said. Footsteps were coming their way. Harry whipped around to see if it was Ron back with Dumbledore. It was. Dumbledore looked outraged. He came up to them and tied Harry's hands and feet together.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing?" Harry asked loudly.   
  
"You, Mr. Potter are wearing these until we figure out what's going on here." Dumbledore said shortly. "I would like to ask you some questions. What is your full name?"  
  
"Harold Potter." Harry said. He had no idea what was going on here. Shouldn't Dumbledore be punishing Hermione and Ron?  
  
"Middle name included." Dumbledore said harshly.  
  
"I don't have a middle name." Harry said. Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"What is your address?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"For the Dursley's you mean?" Harry asked. Dumbledore nodded. "Four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, England."  
  
"Okay." Dumbledore said. Ron and Hermione were watching with interest. Hermione looked close to tears. "When is your birthday?"   
  
"July 30th, 1986." Harry said. Dumbledore looked menacing.  
  
"Good. How did you die?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"I'm not dead!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Okay, moving on." Harry noticed that Dumbledore was taking notes.  
  
"Why are you asking me all this? Do you need this for a file or something? I didn't do anything!" Harry said. Dumbledore said nothing to this.  
  
"Hmm. Who was impersonating Professor Moody last year?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione made a noise that clearly asked what was going on.  
  
"Bartemius Crouch…Jr." Harry added as an afterthought.  
  
"What happened to his father?"  
  
"He killed him. Transfigured him into a bone and- and buried him in front of Hagrid's hut." Harry found recalling on this particular night hard.  
  
"Who was he working for?"  
  
"Voldemort." Harry said and sighed.  
  
"Where did you spend your Christmas holiday's this year?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Half at the Dursleys and half here." Harry answered promptly.  
  
"And why did you come back here?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Because I wrote you a letter that asked if I could come back." Harry said.  
  
"And what was the reason?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Must we get into that?" Harry said bitterly.  
  
"Yes, we do until we are sure this isn't a scam." Dumbledore snapped. Harry snorted.  
  
"Because Dudley and his friend almost killed me."   
  
"Who is your godfather?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Sirius Black. Can I answer the next question for you to? I know what you're going to ask. He can transform into a dog. Peter Pettigrew can change into a rat and my dad could change into a stag. Any more questions?" Harry asked, getting fed up with all of these questions.  
  
"Who is your girlfriend?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Nobody." Harry said quickly. He didn't want to think about Cho.   
  
"You are 'going out' with Cho Chang I thought."  
  
"You thought wrong. I dumped her." Harry said.   
  
"Sorry to hear." Dumbledore said. Harry snorted. "When did you two break up?"  
  
"Yesterday." Harry said. Dumbledore wasn't looking mad and angry anymore. He was looking sad.  
  
"What is the date Mr. Potter?" He asked. Harry thought a little.  
  
"January uh- January 30th I think."   
  
"No, it's April fifth." Dumbledore said. Harry looked at him strangely for a moment and then started laughing.  
  
"You really had me going there for a moment! You must be in on this horrible prank to. Did you here what they did? They buried me!" Harry said and stopped laughing.  
  
"No, Harry it wasn't them." Dumbledore said.  
  
"What? You know who did it? Who?" Harry said.  
  
"I did. Harry, your funeral was a little over three months ago." Dumbledore said.   
  
"Wha- what? You guys are all crazy. I'm alive. At least I think I am." Harry said and pinched himself. He winced. "Yeah. Definitely alive." Dumbledore laughed.   
  
"Welcome back, Harry. Welcome back."   
  
"Where have I been?" Harry asked. This joke was getting less and less funny by the second.  
  
"Dead." Hermione said. Harry had had enough of this. Burn off you stupid ropes, but don't touch me! I don't want to be touched by my blessed flames, Harry thought. The ropes disappeared.   
  
  
"Okay. That's enough for one night. I am tired. I want to go to bed and when I wake up everything will be back to normal and nobody will be accusing me of dead." Harry stretched and yawned and walked towards the portrait hole.  
  
"Harry you were dead. I have no idea how you are alive now. I don't want to see you at breakfast tomorrow morning. Stay in your room. You hear me Harry?" Dumbledore said sternly.  
  
"Sure. I'm starving though! Can't I get some food?" Harry asked. Dumbledore nodded.   
  
"I'll have some sent up." Dumbledore said.   
  
"Thanks." Harry yawned and walked into the common room. It was deserted. Hermione and Ron were watching him very carefully as if he might explode. "You know, I think I'll take a shower. I smell like dirt and smoke." He walked into the boys' shower room. Hermione and Ron sat down.  
  
"Am I dreaming or is Harry alive?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I don't know. I don't think so." Ron said. Harry walked out of the showers in a tight white shirt and a pair of kakhis.  
  
"Can you two explain the outfit? I don't own any Muggle clothes that fit this well. And the shoes are new too. Oh well, I'm keeping it." Harry said and walked up the stairs. Ron said goodnight to Hermione and followed him up the stairs. Harry was standing in the middle of the room staring at his rose- covered bed.   
  
"Do you want some help clearing the roses off?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head slowly.  
  
"Nah. I've always wanted to sleep on bed of roses. That is a lot of roses. You two really out did yourselves. These must have cost you a fortune."  
  
"Actually these were sent by all the people grieving your death. And I wouldn't recommend sleeping on those. Roses have thorns you know." Ron said. Harry laughed.  
  
"Whatever. Fine then if it's that much to you I wont sleep on them." Harry muttered the banishing spell and moved the roses into a neat pile by his wardrobe. Harry changed into his pajamas and climbed into his bed. It smelled strongly of roses, but Harry didn't mind. It made him fall asleep faster.   
  
  
  
The next morning when Harry woke up the room was deserted. He remembered Dumbledore's request and stayed in his room. After a while he became bored and went over to the massive pile of roses. There were so many of them that they reached Harry's chin when he stood up to them. He started weaving them into chains and tying them around the canopy of his bed. It looked really cool. When the canopy was covered he hung them on the mattress frame. He didn't even notice that Dumbledore had entered until he spoke.  
  
"I brought you some food." He said. Harry jumped and dropped the rose chain he was going to put on one of the other boy's bed. He turned around and looked at Dumbledore.  
  
"Thanks!" Harry said and took the plate from Dumbledore. He ate for a while and neither of them spoke. Harry didn't eat the eggs that were on the plate. He had never liked eggs.  
  
"So Harry, how did you get here?" Dumbledore asked as Harry finished the plate of food.   
  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.  
  
"How did you get out of the coffin?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"I had to blow all the dirt around me out of the way and then I just popped the top off." Harry said. Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"That sounds reasonable. How did you wake up?" He said. Harry found he was getting sick of all these questions.  
  
"I rolled over and hit my head and then I woke up." Harry said.  
  
"I mean, Harry, how are you not dead anymore." Dumbledore asked.  
  
"I don't know what everybody is talking about. I don't remember dying." Harry said in a very exasperated tone.   
  
"Harry think back. What happened after you and Cho broke up?" Dumbledore asked gently. Harry thought hard for a long time.  
  
"I was walking back to the castle with Ron and Hermione and it started to rain so we went by the Forbidden Forest so we didn't get wet. Then Voldemort turned up and he said some stuff and then he- he tortured me. Then he had a little speech about my friends and said he was going to kill them to." Harry said thoughtfully.   
  
"And what happened after that?" Dumbledore asked, interested. Harry thought harder. The memory came as a greenish blur to him.  
  
"Voldemort tried to kill Hermione and I jumped in front of her to stop it and- oh! Oh." Reality slapped Harry in the face. "I get it."  
  
"Good." Dumbledore said.  
  
"How long have I been buried?"  
  
"Around three months." Dumbledore said. Harry took a deep breath.  
  
"What day is it?"   
  
"Friday." Dumbledore said. Harry raised his eyebrows.  
  
"This is to weird." He said under his breath.  
  
"Do you have any idea how you woke up Harry?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Not really. It's never really happened to me before. Well I've survived the curse, but I've never died before and then woken up. Nobody died for me this time so what could have happened?" Harry said. Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"You make a good point." He said. They were silent for a while. "What were you wearing that day?" Harry thought hard.  
  
"My black robes, jeans, a red shirt and my dragon sweater." Harry said.  
  
"Do you wear any type of necklace tattoo or bracelet?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded.  
  
"Now that you mention it, I do wear a necklace." Harry said.  
  
"May I see it?" He asked. Harry nodded and pulled the necklace with the sword over his head and handed it to Dumbledore. He examined it carefully for a moment, looking at it from every angle.   
  
"Is there something on it?" Harry asked after ten minutes of silence.   
  
"Harry, do you have any idea who this necklace used to belong to?" Dumbledore asked and looked at Harry.  
  
"No. I got it for Christmas though, in an unmarked package." Harry said.   
  
"Come with me Harry." Dumbledore pocketed the necklace and they walked out of the common room and up a few flights of stairs until they were standing in front of the large portrait of Merlin. "Look at this picture closely. Tell me what you see." Harry shrugged and examined it. Hermione had been right when she said that Merlin looked a lot like Harry. Harry stared at his face for a moment until a glitter caught his eye. His eyes darted down to his neck. Harry saw that his necklace was lying on Merlin's neck.  
  
"It's my necklace!" Harry said. Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"I knew I had seen it somewhere." He said. "I think this is how you survived. I'm not sure if you know this Harry, but Merlin died and then showed up three months later alive. I think this necklace must have a powerful protective charm on it. As to how you got it, I'm not sure. That will be another mystery I will have to look in on."  
  
"I bet you're right. So everybody thinks I'm dead?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yes. Everybody including the Dursleys." Dumbledore said.  
  
"So now what do I do? If anybody sees me they'll think I'm a ghost or a zombie!" Harry said. He had been thinking about this for a while now.   
  
"I thought about that myself. I think the best way would be to address the school by yourself." Dumbledore said. Harry stared at him.  
  
"Are you mad? Speak to the entire school? What would I say? 'Hey! Remember me Harry Potter? I'm not dead anymore!'" Harry said. Dumbledore missed the sarcasm.   
  
"Maybe something more explanatory. We'll tell the school that we have arranged for Merlin's heir to speak. I think that will do."  
  
"So I give a speech on Merlin and then give a speech about myself then?" Harry asked and bit his lip. He wasn't very good at writing speeches.  
  
"That would be perfect. We'll have an assembly tomorrow sometime in the middle of the day."   
  
"Okay. I guess an assembly would be the best way to break it to everybody that I'm alive again. At least I wont have to tell the same old story a thousand times to everybody."   
  
"That's the spirit Harry," Dumbledore said with a grin. "In the meantime however, I'd like you to keep under your invisibility cloak. We can't have anybody seeing you until your speech tomorrow." They walked down the hall and back down the stairs. Dumbledore left Harry at the portrait hole and waited until Harry was heading up the stairs before he shut the door again and headed back to his solitary office.  
  
Harry entered his room and nearly had a heart attack. There lay Neville on his bed, half-asleep but then again; he was half-awake also. Neville looked like he had had a heart attack to when he saw Harry.  
  
"H-Harry?" He asked. Harry thought quickly.  
  
"Neville you are dreaming. I'm dead. Go back to sleep." Harry said soothingly.  
  
"You're right." Neville said and closed his eyes. Harry sighed. He went over to his trunk and popped it open. He dug through it for a while until he found his invisibility cloak. He slipped it on over his head. Neville woke up again. He sat up in his bed and looked around the room. "I could have sworn he was here." He muttered sadly. Neville got up and started walking down the stairs. Harry, having nothing better to do, followed him. Neville continued talking to himself. "I feel much better now. Maybe I'll go sit in for the rest of Potions. Nah." Neville smiled to himself. Harry smiled to himself also. When Neville did finally leave, Harry left with him and followed him down into the dungeons where a double Potions lesson was going on. He sat next to Hermione and Ron who were sharing a desk. The seat groaned as he sat on it.   
  
"What was that?" Hermione asked and looked at the chair where Harry was sitting.  
  
"Probably just the table about to collapse under the weight of that book bag of yours Hermione," Harry whispered quietly in her ear.  
  
"Ron! Did you say that?" Hermione said and put a hand on her hip.  
  
"No!" Ron said innocently.  
  
"I did." Harry confessed. Ron spun around and looked strait through Harry.  
  
"I can't see you, but I know you're there!" He hissed.   
  
"Ooh. Very good." Harry said. He smacked Ron on the back jokingly. "I'd come out of this cloak, but I'm not allowed to."  
  
"Lucky." Ron muttered. Hermione elbowed him as Snape approached their table. He peered in their cauldron.  
  
"Much to thick." He said and moved on.  
  
"Well that was pretty painless." Harry observed.   
  
"Yeah, he's been a little better ever since you died." Hermione said.  
  
"What a jerk." Harry said. "You know I think I might go do something to him." Hermione choked on the piece of gum she was chewing.  
  
"Don't! Do something to Malfoy!" She said. "Snape will have your head if he figures out who did it!" Harry muffled a laugh.  
  
"Fine have it your way. I'm going to go haunt Malfoy now. Bye," Harry said cheerfully and walked silently over to where Malfoy and his two gorillas were working.  
  
"Goyle pass me the horn of Rambat." Malfoy commanded. Harry seized the perfect opprotunity and grabbed the little horn and handed it to Malfoy, who stuck it in the cauldron. "Thanks, Goyle. Wait a second-" Malfoy realized that Goyle was fast asleep in his chair. "Crabbe, did you give this to me?" He asked shakily.  
  
"No," Crabbe grunted.  
  
"Who did then?" Malfoy asked looking around fearfully.   
  
"I did." Harry whispered in his ear.  
  
"Who said that?" Malfoy snapped.  
  
"I did." Harry whispered in his other ear.  
  
"Who are you?" Malfoy asked.  
  
"Who do you think I am?" Harry asked, choking back laughter.  
  
"Potter? Have you come back haunt me?" Malfoy asked.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy what are you talking about?" Snape had turned up at their desk and was looking at Malfoy very oddly.   
  
"Nothing Professor. Crabbe just did a very good impression of what Potter used to sound like." Malfoy lied quickly. Professor Snape nodded and left to go criticize Seamus's potion.  
  
"Good cover." Harry hissed to him. Malfoy was very pale.  
  
"Why are you haunting me?" Me asked. His fingers were trembling and he dropped the stem of a weed he was holding in his hand into the potion causing a very large explosion from his cauldron.   
  
"I'm not haunting you, Malfoy. I just dropped in to tick you off," Harry whispered to him and walked over to Hermione and Ron who were looking frankly bewildered.   
  
"What did you do to him?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Scared him to death." Harry said. "The explosion happened on it's own. I should really die more often if I get to do this."  
  
"Don't say that!" Hermione said a little louder than she expected. A few people turned around and gave her funny looks.   
  
When the lesson ended they left the room as quickly as possible. Snape had been very upset about the explosion and had been giving the Gryffindors grief, even though it was really Malfoy's problem. Nevertheless, everybody was much happier after this lesson than usual. Nothing like this had happened since- well since before Harry died.   
  
"What do you guys have next?" Harry asked as they headed up the stairs.   
  
"Transfiguration." Hermione said instantly. Harry shook his head, even though they couldn't se it.  
  
"You two have fun. I don't want to sit in on that class. Way to boring." Harry said. "I reckon I'll see you guys after school."   
  
"Yes, but when are we going to actually see you?" Ron asked.  
  
"Tomorrow I think." Harry said.  
  
"That long?" Hermione whined.  
  
"Yeah, that long. Dumbledore has something planned. It should be interesting, I'll tell you that." Harry said. They split up when they reached McGonagall's classroom and Harry walked to the Gryffindor common room alone. When he reached it, he remembered that he didn't know the password. Harry slumped down on the floor. He was going to be here for a while. He began thinking about the speech he was supposed to be giving tomorrow. He almost had it figured out when he heard the footsteps of the Ravenclaws sixth years getting out of Arithmancy. They all started walking towards Harry but of course they couldn't see him. He stood up and flattened himself against the wall. Cho and a bunch of her friends paused when they passed the fat lady.  
  
"Isn't that where the Gryffindor common room is?" Miss Perfume asked.  
  
"Yeah I think so. Cho you dated a Gryffindor, did he tell you?" Miss Eye Shadow asked. Cho nodded.  
  
"Yeah. I saw Harry getting out of there a couple times." She said slowly.   
  
"He was a hottie." Miss Perfume giggled. The other girls nodded and giggled madly. Harry was blushing so much that he could have sworn they would have been able to feel the heat from his face.  
  
"Wasn't he? And he was nice. One of the nicest guys I've ever known. To bad he died." Cho said.   
"Cho, honey, you have bad luck with boyfriends. They keep dying on you," Miss Eye Shadow pointed out. Cho wiped a tear from her eye.  
  
"Don't remind me." She said miserably.  
  
"Don't worry, your luck'll turn up sooner or later," Said Miss Shocking Pink Fingernails.  
  
"Let's go to lunch," Miss Perfume groaned. "I'm starving."  
  
"Good idea." And they headed back down the stairs. Harry sighed in relief. He hadnt had been so embarrassed in his life. At least they couldn't see me, Harry thought. Not long after, Harry heard some Gryffindors walking up the stairs, talking about the last Quidditch match.  
  
"I can't believe we won." Angelina was saying.  
  
"I know. I had my doubts to. I mean, with Harry gone and everything we suck." Katie said. "I mean, Dean is a good Seeker but he's nothing compared to what Harry was. Blue Snow." The portrait hole swung open and Harry followed them inside listening about the game. They had won by only three points.  
  
Hermione and Ron came in a little while later looking very tired. Harry walked silently over to them. "What happened in McGonagall's class?" Hermione jumped.  
  
"Oh it's you, Harry." She said faintly and clutched her heart, breathing hard. "We were working on transfiguring desks into pigs. It was really easy, but pigs don't stay put. We spent most of the lesson chasing them." Harry laughed.  
  
"Sounds like fun," Harry said and sat down.   
  
"You would think that wouldn't you?" Ron said and sat down in the nearest seat. He had plopped down on Harry, who 'oofed' loudly.  
  
"Watch where you sit next time!" Harry moaned. Ron jumped up, embarrassed.   
  
"Sorry, Harry, but it's not like I could see that you were sitting there." He said.  
  
"My legs hurt now." Harry complained.   
  
"Neville claimed he saw you earlier today." Hermione said, changing the subject.  
  
"He did. I wasn't expecting him to be there. I was walking into the room to get my cloak and he was there lying on his bed. He saw me. I told him it was a dream and he fell asleep." Harry said.   
  
"He bought that?" Ron said and laughed.  
  
"Yeah." Harry said. McGonagall walked in the common room at that moment and hung something up on the information board.   
  
"I wonder what it is?" Hermione said as a few of the younger kids looked at the announcement and walked away with large smiles on their faces.   
  
"Well let's go see." Ron said and walked over there. Harry decided to stay sitting. Hermione and Ron came back with smiles on their faces to.  
  
"Well, what is it?" Harry asked.  
  
"We have a guest speaker tomorrow and then a feast!" Ron said excitedly.   
  
"Who is the speaker?" Harry asked, though he already knew. "And it's only a speaker, it can't be that interesting."  
  
"It didn't say." Hermione said. Harry sighed and stood up.  
  
"I need to do some stuff. If you need me, I'll be in our room, on my bed. With the curtains closed mind you." Harry said.  
  
"Okay then." Hermione said. They heard Harry walking up the stairs. Ron let out an involuntary shudder.  
  
"I know he's alive, but I can't help feeling like I'm talking to a ghost when I cant see him like this." He said and shuddered again. Hermione nodded.  
  
"I have to keep telling myself this isn't some twisted dream. This is life." Hermione said.   
  
"I wonder what he has to do." Ron said.  
  
"I have no idea. I'll bet it has something to do with him waking up from death though." Hermione said. "I wonder if he knows how it happened yet."   
  
"Hmmm." Ron grunted. "No ideas here."  
  
  
  
Harry pulled shut the curtains around his bed and grabbed some writing tools. He began writing as silently as he could. He heard somebody enter the room and he paused. The footsteps were coming towards him. Harry quickly hid his writing things under the cloak. The curtains were ripped open and Harry found himself face to face with a scared looking Neville.  
  
"Something weird is going on here." He muttered. Harry was having a very hard time not laughing as Neville saw the indent on the mattress where Harry was. "Who- who's there?" Harry said nothing. Their eyes met, but Neville saw right through Harry. Neville looked around the bed once more before pulling the drapes back around Harry's bed. Harry slowly and silently pulled out his half-finished speech and began writing again. Nearly half an hour later Harry finished and tucked the speech under his covers, where nobody would see it. He walked down the stairs to find Ron and Hermione talking to Neville. He seemed really scared.  
  
"I seriously think Harry's come back to haunt us!" Neville said shakily. Harry bit his lip to he wouldn't laugh.  
  
"Now Neville, why would Harry haunt us? We were his friends!" Hermione said kindly, but she to was holding back laughter.  
  
"I suppose your right, but something weird is going on here. I saw Harry today, I know I did. I don't think I was asleep at least. He walked in our room, Ron! And just now I heard scratching noises coming from his bed and when I looked in it I saw the indent of somebody lying on the bed!" Neville was white.  
  
"Neville, if Harry was here, don't you think he would be visible, so we could see him?" Ron asked with raised eyebrows.  
  
"If you're that worried. We'll go up and look with you." Hermione said. They walked into the dorm room.  
  
"See Neville there's nobody here!" Ron said.  
  
"But I shut the curtains around his old bed and now they're open again!" Neville said. Harry was impressed with Neville; he was on to him.  
  
"Maybe the wind blew it open," Ron suggested.  
  
"The window is closed though." Neville pointed out.  
  
"Maybe a House Elf did it." Hermione said logically.  
  
"I don't know you guys. I think Harry is here." Neville said sadly. Hermione looked very uncomfortable.  
  
"Hey Neville, have you hear anything about the guest speaker tomorrow?" She said, changing the subject.  
  
"What? Oh yeah, I heard about it. Somebody told me it had to do with Merlin's- Merlin's- oh I don't remember. It supposedly has something to do with Merlin." He said. Ron glanced over to Harry's bed.  
  
"Merlin, eh? That should be interesting. Didn't we learn about him at the beginning of the year? I wonder if we'll be hearing anything new." Ron said loudly. Harry stifled a laugh.   
  
"Who is speaking?" Hermione asked Neville.   
  
"I asked Dumbledore when I saw him and he said that it was somebody really famous. Say, you don't think that they hired Lockhart?" Neville said. Ron and Hermione laughed.  
  
"What? Nah, that guy was a fraud, probably doesn't even remember who Merlin is," Ron chortled.  
  
"Well it was a good guess." Neville said with a shrug. "Anyway, it should be interesting whoever is speaking. Merlin had a very crazy life."   
  
"And so has the speaker," Hermione whispered under her breath.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry was sitting outside the Great Hall the next day as Dumbledore addressed his students. His heart was pounding and his fingers were shaking. He had half a mind to run away, but he didn't.  
  
"I don't think I need to tell you to listen to our speaker. He has come a long way to be with us here today and I'm expecting you all to be on your best behavior. I want to hear from the heads of your houses about how well you were listening. You got that?" Dumbledore asked. A murmur of yes's rippled throughout the hall. "I'd like you all to welcome Merlin's Heir." Everybody applauded politely. Harry walked into the hall. Nobody took much notice of him; they were all looking for some adult. Harry walked up to the podium. The clapping faded away.   
  
"I feel no real need to introduce myself, as you all already know me, but I will for the sake of appearances. My name is Harry Potter, and I've come to talk to you about my being Merlin's heir." Harry said. The hall had been respectfully quiet until then, but when these last words tumbled out of Harry's mouth all hell broke loose. Girls screamed and pointed and all the boys had gone a nasty pale color. Somebody had actually thrown a fork at him, to make sure he was real, not a ghost or hologram. Harry caught it easily.   
  
"But Harry's dead!" A girl kept shrieking. Harry shook his head slowly and looked up heavenward. He had been expecting this. He sighed and mumbled a few well-chosen words. There was a blast and a few golden and scarlet fireworks burst from the tip off his wand. The hall slowly simmered down.   
  
"As I was saying," Harry continued, " I am here to tell you a little bit on Merlin and then you get to listen to my story." A few Slytherins groaned. Harry decided to ignore this and go on with his speech. "A show of hands; how many of you even knew that Merlin had an heir?" Most of the crowd slowly lifted their hands into the air. Harry laughed shortly. " I thought so.  
  
"Well, here I am. Merlin's heir. As you all know, Merlin was the first Wizard to ever exist. He had many strange qualities that you don't find much anymore. I'm an exception to this rule. Like the capability to draw fire out of thin air without a wand. I'm sure there are more, but I'm not sure what they are so we won't dwell on it. I'll cut to the chase. I'm alive again." A murmur rippled through the crowd. A few people rose their hands in the air and started making noises of impatience when Harry didn't call them.  
  
"I'll answer questions at the end." Harry said. The hands went down. "As I was saying before, I'm going to tell you the shortened version of my life. My story today starts on Halloween, fourteen years ago. Voldemort"- a few people gasped at the sound of the name-" showed up at my parents' house and killed them. I don't know if you knew this, but my mum died to save me. That is how I escaped the curse before. Well Voldemort was presently ripped from his body when he tried to kill me." Harry laughed harshly at the mental picture of Voldemort being ripped from his body. "When that was all happened, my house blew up. Some people wondered why it was blown up. The answer to that question is that I wanted to blow it up and so I did. I inherited Merlin's firepower, and believe me it has come in handy…sort of. You see, when the Muggles started gathering around the remains of my house, all they found was the bodies of my parents and not any incriminating evidence, like a wand or cauldron.  
  
"You all know what's happened to me after that. I went to live with my Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and their son, Dudley. Not my favorite people. They are terrified of Wizards and Witches so I have absolutely no privileges there because they think I'll blow them up or something if my wand is in reach." Harry laughed bitterly again. Nobody was speaking in the room now. They were all listening to the speaker intently. They didn't know a lot of the stuff Harry was telling him. "So when I was eleven"- Harry smiled at some of the first year students-"I came here and the rest is history. But I suppose you'll want to know how I'm alive again, yes?" People nodded and murmured responses.   
  
"Well as you all know, I 'died' to save Hermione Grangers life. I dove in front of her and I took the blow for her. I died. Or so you all thought. I have a necklace that I've been wearing since I got it for Christmas this year in an unmarked package." Harry held the necklace up so the rest of the school could see. "Well this is a necklace with a story behind it. The necklace once belonged to Merlin. You can see him wearing it in his portrait on the fifth floor if you don't believe me. Well we think that it has some sort of powerful anti-curse charm on it. I died for three months and then I came back. It fooled you all. I'm back." Everybody clapped loudly as Harry's speech ended. Hands shot into the air. Harry called on a Hufflepuff girl sitting towards the front of the room.  
  
"You- you said something about a firepower in your speech. Can you show us?" She said nervously and bit her lip. Harry glanced over to Dumbledore. He beamed at Harry and nodded. Harry took a deep breath.  
  
"I suppose, since it's all right with Professor Dumbledore." Harry said finally. He hated being put on the spot like, as if he was some sort of animal at the zoo, for children to gawk at. Some people held their breath, as a large fireball appeared two inches above Harry's hand, which he held up into the air so the whole hall could see. He extinguished it with a snap and walked down to the Gryffindor table where he was greeted with an uproar of screams and yells. Hands were pouring down on his back. Harry wished he could run away and hide in a corner. This wasn't what he wanted. He sat down heavily next to Hermione and Ron and rested his chin in his arms on the table.  
  
"Good job Harry." Hermione said.  
  
"Thanks. Next time I have to speak in public, remind me be incredibly sick so I don't have to." Harry said. Hermione and Ron laughed.  
  
"You looked cool as a cucumber up there. Like you were a pro at speaking publicly." Ron said reassuringly.  
  
"Ha. I hate public speaking. I don't like it when everybody is looking at me." Harry said.   
  
"And now let us get on with our feast, in honor of Harry Potter." Dumbledore said from the front of the hall. At once, food appeared in the empty dishes. It was like the feast of Harry's dreams. Everything he liked was on the tables. They hadnt even put out the treacle mints, as Harry had never been really fond of them.   
  
"Harry, how do you summon that fireball thing anyways?" Hermione asked later that evening when they were back in the common room.  
  
" I know how to do it, it's just hard to put into words. Let's see…. Well I sort of insult the thing I want lighted and command it to light and then it just- happens." Harry said thoughtfully.  
  
"That doesn't make much sense. Let me try… come on you stupid homework! Light on fire!" Ron said enthusiastically. Nothing happened to his homework.  
  
"If you want your homework to go up in flames Ron, I can help you there. Would you like me to blow it up for you?" Harry asked.  
  
"I would love for you to, but I have to turn this in on Monday." Ron said with a grin. Harry grinned back. Hermione laughed.  
  
"You know Harry? You've been a lot happier ever since you woke up from being dead." She said. Harry glared at her sarcastically.  
  
"You'd bee a lot happier to if you found out that you could have died." He said. "Hey! What happened to Sirius?" Hermione's grin faded a bit.  
  
"He left when you died. He couldn't really protect you anymore if you were dead. Of course I'll bet he'll be here pretty soon again, now that you're alive." She said. As if on cue, a very loud bark came from the other side of the portrait.   
  
"All right, Hermione! Good timing!" Ron hooted flirtatiously as Harry jumped up and went over to the portrait hole and opened it up. Harry was immediately thrown to the floor by Sirius' large jump in. He tackled Harry paws first. His tail was wagging dangerously fast and he gave Harry one sloppy lick on the cheek. Harry laughed, wiped the slobber of his cheek and pried the dog off his chest. Sirius looked up at Harry with wide eyes, and Harry knew that if he had been a man he would have been beaming at him. Sirius barked again. Harry patted his head and went back over to Ron and Hermione. Sirius let them pat him on the head a couple of times also. Harry found it hard not to smile constantly. And for the first time in his life, He was happy, perfectly happy. He would always have the empty spot in his heart that his parents had left when they died, the whole that was stretched even larger by the Dursleys. But Harry wasn't thinking about the Dursleys now.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
Two weeks flew by. Harry, who had missed the O.W.L. exams while he was dead, got an automatic 'A' in all of his classes. Of course everybody thought this was unfair except for Harry, who was relieved they weren't going to make them take the tests.  
  
"That's two years in a row now!" Hermione fumed when she heard the news. "Just because you aren't dead you get all this special attention. I'm not dead, and I still have to take the tests."  
  
"I rest my case." Ron said. Hermione socked him. Harry chuckled softly to himself. Sirius was making a funny wheezing noise to, as if he was laughing also. Hermione and Ron continued to fake fight the rest of the day. Harry thought it was amusing, but annoying. He didn't see why they didn't just hook up already.   
  
Hermione as predicted had aced all of her tests with flying colors. Ron had pulled through with mostly Bs and an A in Divination, much to everyone's surprise. Harry congratulated his friends, as did Sirius, in his own, dogish way.  
  
Harry and all the other boys in his room were all packing up their things, when there was a sharp knock on the door.  
  
"Are you all decent?" Came Professor McGonagall's voice. Dean grinned.  
  
"No, we're all naked. Come back later." He said. McGonagall made a noise of exasperation and opened the door. Dean and Seamus pretended to cover themselves up and blush, even though they were fully clothed. Professor McGonagall found it hard not to smile. It quickly faded though when she saw Harry packing all his stuff up. She went over to him.  
  
"Potter, you are staying here this summer. There is no need to pack your things." She said. Harry almost pinched himself; this was just too good.  
  
"Are you serious?" He asked incredulously.  
  
"Yes, I'm serious. We couldn't just have you show up at the Dursleys. They think you're dead. They would kill you or themselves if they thought they were seeing ghosts. Do you understand?" She asked.   
  
"Yeah!" Harry exclaimed. He was so happy, he could have kissed her, but as she was much older than him and no beauty queen at that he resorted to just beaming at her.  
  
"Good. You can see your friends down to the carriages when they arrive." She said and walked out of the room. Harry whooped.   
  
"You have no idea how cool this is." Harry said and threw his clothes back into his wardrobe.   
  
"Your right. I don't." Dean said. "I mean, I know that it'll be a lot better than the Dursleys, but you have to spend the whole summer with Snape and all the other teachers."  
  
"That's true, but maybe I'll be smarter if I listen to what they're talking about this summer." Harry pointed out. Ron laughed.  
  
"Not like you need it. You're already smarter than me." Ron said. Hermione appeared at the door, looking very cross.  
  
"You are smart Ron!" She said. Ron rolled his eyes at her. " I'm serious! Harry, why aren't you packing?" Harry grinned.  
  
"I'm staying here this summer!" He exclaimed. Hermione's jaw dropped.  
  
"That's great Harry!" She said and beamed at him. "But what are we supposed to do on the train without you?" Harry thought for a moment until something struck him.  
  
"You can have a five hour make-out session!" Harry cried. Dean and Seamus tried to conceal their laughter, but it didn't work. They laughed heartily for a few seconds before straitening up and then pretending it hadnt happened at all and Neville mumbled something about not understanding. Ron and Hermione blushed furiously.  
  
"Good one." Ron said after the laughter had subsided.  
  
"Wasn't it though? But seriously you two, just go out already. We know you like each other."  
  
"I most certainly don-" Ron began to say.  
  
"It's pretty obvious." Harry said, cutting him off. Ron took a deep breath and didn't let it out for a long time. "Come on, You guys really should be getting down to the carriages. They'll be here soon." Harry said and helped them with their things down the stairs.  
  
"Have a great summer Harry!" Hermione said as she pulled Harry into a tight hug. "And don't die on us ever again."  
  
"See you Harry. Don't forget to write." Ron said and snapped shut the door on the carriage and it started moving towards Hogsmeade. Harry turned back around and walked back up the drive with Dumbledore.  
  
"Well, we should have a most interesting summer, shouldn't we?" Dumbledore said as they walked back into the castle.  
  
  
  
"Yes, we should." Harry answered. "We certainly should."  
  
  
  
  



	10. Epilouge and Foreward for the SEQUAL!

Harry woke up with a start. He glanced around him quickly like every morning to make sure that everything was in it's place. Nothing seemed wrong to him atleast.   
  
"Hedwig will you stop that racket?" He snapped at the snowy owl in the corner who wouldnt shut up. Seeing that he was awake, she hooted once more and flew out of the empty dorm room and most likely back to the owlry. "Ruddy owl just hhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaddddddd to wake me up..." He muttered and hopped out of bed.  
  
He tripped over someting and did a face plant into the cold stone floor. He got up quickly and dusted himself off. He looked around and saw five packages on the floor. He punched himself mentally. Had he actaully forgotten his own birthday? He smiled and kneeled down again next to the now slightly squashed presents. The first one was from Sirius and it was a shirt with a picture of FLAMEBOY on it. Harry chuckled and tossed it onto his trunk. The next present was from Hermione and it was a book on hexes. Harry frowned slightly because Hermione always seemed to get him books. Ron gave him a book to but only as a joke it was called "stuart Little' and featured a talking mouse. Hagrid gave him a hand knit scarf and the Mrs and Mr Weasley provided Harry with all the treacle fudge he would ever need. Harry was complely satisfied with his gifts. He was going to throw away the paper when he saw an overlooked card. He picked it up carefully and opened it.   
  
A plain peice of parchment fell out of it along with what looked like a keychain sized car and some keys.   
  
Confused, Harry picked up the note. It read:  
  
H.P.  
Enlarge the car and see what you have. Have fun.  
-A fan  
  
  
The boy grinned misceiviosly. Harry Potter had his own car. The world was in for it now. 


End file.
